When I Ruled The World
by Sybl Angelkat
Summary: In a world where vampires rule over humans, Esme must work hard every day to keep her sisters safe. Will the girls become mere slaves or find their hearts' desires in the Cullen boys' household? Canon pairings.
1. Chapter 1

When I Ruled The World....

Chapter 1..............

What if vampires made war on humans, taking over them completely? In a world where humans are considered property and food sources, our favorite characters come together in this retelling of our favorite story....All couples are canon from the book, but I had to make some of them human for this plot to work.

Some things that I'm going to point out to cut down on confusion:

1. Vampires sleep, but they don't have to sleep much. A few hours a week does the trick.

2. The eye color thing still applies, gold for animals, red for humans.

3. Vampires can be both born and created, though the vampires frown on creating new vampires with venom.

4. Vampires CAN eat human food, but it makes them uncomfortable...and sometimes gives them (ahem) tummy issues. And they still need bathrooms because all that fluid has to go someplace.

5. Vampire/human babies do exist in this story, but half-breeds are frowned on; they're not "socially acceptable".

Any other questions? Feel free to PM me or write it in a review. The song for the chapter (and title) is "When I ruled the world" by Coldplay.

The sun trailed across the floor, shining in from the dusty glass. Esme shivered as her breath came out in a fog. It was sometime in November, late autumn, but winter was already starting to show its face. Moving carefully out of the makeshift bed, she was careful not to disturb her younger sisters. Alice and Bella lay huddled up together. They'd been sleeping that way so that they could share their body heat.

The embers in the small fireplace had nearly gone out. Putting in the last few twigs, Esme sighed and tried to coax the deep red flickers to life again. It wouldn't do to get sick on top of everything. Since their parents had been captured, Esme had taken it upon herself to keep their small family going. Now that the vampires had overthrown the human rule, things were getting tough. The vampires demanded either household slaves or what they called "blood-mules", humans that were farmed for their blood. Esme had managed to keep her sisters safe for three years after their parents had been caught.

"Mmmm," Bella mumbled, rolling over.

Esme sighed and smiled at her sisters. At seventeen, she was the oldest. Bella was fourteen and Alice was thirteen. All three of the women shared their brown eyes, although they differed somewhat in shade. Esme's eyes were more of a cinnamon color while Bella's were more of a chocolate. Alice's eyes were so dark that they almost passed for black. The three of them also shared the same heart-shaped faces and dimpled smiles. Esme had taken after their father with her caramel waves while Bella and Alice had inherited their dark locks from their mother. Alice's hair was the darkest, two or three shades darker than Bella's.

_Okay, I have the fire going. It should warm up here in just a moment, _Esme thought, _now I just need to solve the food situation._

The thin stews that they'd been eating barely passed for meals. Even rice and beans were getting hard to find. Esme knew that the girls were getting tired of those, but they never complained.

"At least we have our freedom," Esme sighed to herself as she searched the dark corners of the room. The usual rice and beans were left, but they would have to find food soon. There was only enough for each one to have a small portion.

Bella rolled over and opened her eyes.

"Stay under the covers," Esme told her, "don't get out until this room warms up a little bit. Keep Alice warm."

Bella did as she was told. As soon as their breaths became invisible again, their meager meal for the day was nearly done.

"I was wondering if you were still alive," Bella teased as Alice began to stretch, "you haven't moved since last night."

Alice yawned.

"I had a very interesting dream and I didn't want to leave it," she admitted.

Bella rolled her eyes.

"You're always dreaming. What was it about this time, was it the blonde boy with the strange golden eyes again?"

Alice blushed guiltily.

"Yes," she admitted sheepishly, "but something was different this time."

"Well, don't keep us waiting," Esme said, ladling their food into bowls, "let's hear it."

Alice stared guiltily at the worn quilt that adorned their makeshift bed.

"Well..."

"Come on," Bella said impatiently. Esme handed her the steaming bowl, then passed one to Alice.

"He was...an....a....vampire."

Bella nearly spit the mouthful she had everywhere.

"A vampire?! Alice, are you crazy!"

Alice stared into her bowl, obviously embarrassed.

"What's so bad about it? Vampires are very attractive," Esme said, sitting down on the foot of the bed with her own bowl.

"Esme, how could she dream about something so..._vile_? Look at what they did to our world, Esme! They took over everything! We've lost our home, our parents, our freedom-"

Esme opened her mouth to object to the last part.

"--yes, we have," Bella continued, "we're always having to hide! We're always having to run away and we're skin and bones because we're too afraid they'll catch us to get a decent meal!"

"It was just a dream, Bella. Just a dream."

Esme placed her hand on Alice's.

"Was he a nice vampire?" Esme asked.

She nodded.

"He called me his 'little pixie'. He didn't care that we were different...just that I was me and he was him. We were walking through a garden, just talking together. I told him I could sort of see the future and he actually believed me."

It wasn't uncommon for Alice to have dreams about the future. Sometimes her predictions actually came true.

"Did you get a name?" Bella asked, pretending to be interested for Alice's sake.

"I can't remember what it was," Alice admitted, "just that it started with a J."

They finished their meal and got up to help Esme with the dishes. Though the shed they lived in was small, it was very tidy. All three of the girls' dresses were tattered and patched up in places, but Esme had taken the best care of them that she could. The only problem with the clothes was that the girls were outgrowing them. Alice didn't look like she'd get much taller, but Bella was getting very long legs. Esme wished that she could provide for them better.

A frantic pounding on the door suddenly got their attention. Bella dropped the broom she was using. Esme opened the door a crack.

"Them vampires are coming! Run for your lives!" the old man yelled. Outside, humans were scattering every which way. Before Esme had time to even think, a blur of white knocked the old man down. Within seconds, his drained, lifeless body fell to the grass. Crouching over him was none other than a vampire. Looking up at Esme, he grinned a terrible bloody grin.

Esme slammed the door behind her and moved an old dresser in front of it.

"What do we do?" Alice asked, her formerly red face pale with fright.

"I don't know," Esme admitted, "we're trapped. There isn't another way out. Hopefully they won't-"

The explosion of splintering wood dashed her hopes. The girls screamed and ran across the room, pulling Esme with them.

"Oh, no you don't! You're coming with us!"

The vampire kicked the remains of the dresser out of the way. He had a very thick English accent and auburn hair. Two others came in, one bald with dark eyes and a woman with flowing, thick red hair.

"Esme, do something!" Bella pleaded, but they all knew there was no fighting the vampires. With skin almost as hard as diamonds, they were nearly impossible to hurt. The three girls were dragged from their homes and escorted to a van. Handcuffs were promptly placed on all of them.

"We should get around six-thousand apiece," the one with the accent said to the other two, "not a bad deal if I say so."

"Esme, where are they taking us?" Bella asked.

"I don't know," she admitted.

The car passed several other humans. A few of them had died in their struggle against the vampires, but most of them were standing in clumps, afraid to fight. Bella and Alice were too young to remember when humans used to rule the earth, but Esme remembered even though she didn't fully understand what had been going on.

_I used to rule the world..._

_seas would rise when I gave the world_

_now in the morning I sweep alone..._

_sweep the streets that I used to own..._

_I used to roll the dice..._

_feel the fear in my enemy's eyes_

_listen as the crowd would sing_

_now the old king is dead, _

_long live the king..._

_I hear Jerusalem bells a' ringing_

_Roman cavalry choirs singing_

"_Be my bearer, my sword and shield"_

_my missionaries in a foreign field_

_For some reason I can't explain_

_Once you were gone, _

_it was never an honest word..._

_but that was when I ruled the world..._

_I discovered that my castles stand_

_upon pillars of salt, pillars of sand..._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2...........The Cullen Boys

A/N: Wow, I can't believe how many people added this to the favorites list after ONE chapter! This one's doing a ton better than my other one. The song I had in mind for this chapter, particularly the bond between Esme and her sisters, was "Hands" by Jewel.

The car came to a stop in front of a large circular building. As they were pulled out of the car, Esme held Bella's and Alice's hands tightly so that they wouldn't be separated. The vampires acted bored as if they'd seen this type of behavior millions of times. Some of the other vampires were heckling the humans, but these only seemed interested in the money.

_If I could tell the world just one thing_

_it would be we're all okay_

_and not to worry_

_cause worry is wasteful_

_and useless in times like these..._

"Where are we?" Esme asked.

The female vampire steered them through a revolving door.

"Human Trade Center," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

From the looks of it, the Trade Center resembled a mall very closely. There were several long, wide hallways with shops lining them. A fountain stood in the center, its cheerful splashing seeming out of place amongst the terrified screams. They passed a clothing shop, a human food store, then a large caged area. Different vampires were escorting the humans into cages. If one of them acted out too much, a large, painful-looking syringe was injected into their arm and they would fall asleep in a few seconds. Esme shuddered; she hated needles.

"Esme?"

Alice sounded scared. She knew exactly what Alice was asking.

_I won't be made useless_

_I won't be idled with despair_

_I'll gather myself around my faith_

_that lights the darkness most feared..._

"Not now," she whispered, "if we fight, we're only going to make life harder on ourselves. Mother always did say that everything happens for a reason."

"I don't want to be a slave!" Bella snapped.

_My hands are small, I know_

_but they're not yours_

_they are my own..._

_but they're not yours,_

_they are my own and_

_I am never broken...._

"Bella, hush. Don't give them a reason to start on us," Esme whispered.

Bella's eyes were burning with dark fury and Esme didn't blame her in the slightest. The vampires steered her towards one carrying a clipboard.

She stared down her nose at them.

"Hmmm. Names?"

When they didn't answer right away, another vampire brandished one of the evil-looking syringes with a sinister grin.

"Esme," she choked out, "and this is Bella and Alice."

Bella glared at Esme, but didn't say anything.

"Ages?"

"Seventeen, fourteen, and thirteen."

She wrote those down.

"Take them over there for a health check," she told their escorts.

They were shuffled into a back room away from the prying eyes of the crowd.

"Been a while since someone's had a bath," one of the vampires commented. They hoisted Alice onto a table and stripped away the patched dress and underwear she wore. She cringed, small and frightened.

Esme stepped forward.

"Please, sir, would it be okay if we did this by ourselves?"

The vampire stared at her for a moment.

"What are you up to?" he asked, crossing his arms. Alice tucked her arms in close to her body, shivering violently.

"Nothing," Esme said truthfully, "she's just not used to-"

The vampire thumped a bottle of soap down beside Alice.

"Fine. But try anything and you're my next meal."

_Poverty_

_stole your golden shoes_

_it did not steal your laughter..._

_heartache came to visit me_

_but I knew it wasn't ever after..._

He didn't leave the room, but at least he would not be able to touch Alice. Shielding her from his gaze as much as she could, Esme helped her sister wash. It didn't help at all that the water was cold. The gooseflesh was so thick on her skin that it felt like Braille. When Alice was totally rinsed off, their captor tossed them a towel. It was rough as sandpaper, so Alice was as gentle as she could be. When Alice was clean, she was given a sky-blue linen dress. It was a simple garment that was sleeveless and reached mid-calf. Another vampire hauled her into a chair and cut most of her hair off. The long dark strands lay on the floor like fallen flower petals.

_We'll fight, not out of spite_

_for someone must stand up for what's right_

_where there's a man who has no voice_

_there ours shall go on singing...._

Bella bathed next, then Esme. Both of them were forced to get their hair cut as well. All three of them had on the sky-blue dresses. After that was over, they were dragged back outside. The stone floor was freezing under their bare feet.

"New ones," another girl sighed, "how long did you survive underground before being caught?"

Esme pulled Bella and Alice closer, trying to keep them as warm as she could. This place was very drafty.

"A long time," Esme admitted. She noticed that most of the girls wore darker blue dresses. Men wore varying shades of green.

"What do the colors mean?" she asked.

"Light blue, like what you're wearing, means never been captured and never been...pregnant. Dark blue means they've had previous owners, but they're still in good shape. The ones that are less...capable and banged up are over there."

She gestured to a group of older slaves that looked to be between twenty-five and thirty-five. They were wearing purple clothes.

"The ones that are old and wearing out are over there."

That group was wearing yellow.

"Our group is the only one that separates men from women. The best households want only the most attractive slaves," she explained, "separating them out gives the younger vampires an easier time finding what they're looking for."

"I can only imagine why," Bella muttered.

Esme would have scolded her, but she knew in her heart that Bella was right.

_My hands are small, I know_

_but they're not yours,_

_they are my own_

_and they're not yours,_

_they are my own and..._

_I am never broken..._

Right about then, trouble came walking down the hallway. Bella was the first to sense it. But Alice was suddenly ecstatic.

"Esme! That's him! The boy from my dreams!"

She pointed to a tall, blonde vampire who was speaking to an auburn-haired one. When they stepped into the light coming from the skylight above, they glittered brightly, throwing rainbow sparkles everywhere. Behind them, there was another blonde that looked older. Instead of red eyes, they had golden eyes. It was certainly...unusual.

They ventured closer, examining all the people in the cages. The older blonde was talking to the vampire with the clipboard. After a few moments, she walked over to the cage. Esme, Bella, and Alice were huddled in the back, trying not to draw attention to themselves.

"These are our newest ones," she said, gesturing to them, "we just got them this morning. They haven't had their check-ups yet, but they're clean."

The one with red-brown hair grinned. He looked to be about fifteen or sixteen.

"I like that one," he said, pointing at Bella. Bella scowled at him and he laughed.

Alice peered at the other one from around Esme's shoulder. He seemed troubled somehow, as if questioning what they were about to do.

"They're family," he whispered to the other blonde vampire, "I can sense it."

_In the end..._

_only kindness matters...in the end..._

"We don't need all three of them, do we?"

_I will get down on my knees..._

_and I will pray..._

_I will get down on my knees..._

_and I will pray..._

The discussion went on for a moment.

"Father's not going to be happy about this, but frankly, I don't give a damn," the oldest one said.

He talked to the one with a clipboard again. She removed a large key from her belt and opened the cage. Two burly vampires held the other humans back while Esme, Alice, and Bella were dragged out.

"Good luck!" the girl who had explained the colors called.

"We'll just take them in the back for their check-ups right quick," another vampire said. The three "buyers" came in with them.

Bella was taken in for her checkup first. She felt humiliated, like an animal, as they looked at her eyes, in her ears, in her mouth, and checked her "nether regions" for any signs of female problems. Then, they gave her some sort of shot. She was told later that it was a vaccination. Another vampire placed a heavy metal bracelet around her wrist and engraved the word "CULLEN" on it. Shaking with rage, she yelled at all of them, but they merely laughed. She was dragged back out into the waiting room.

The same things happened to Alice and Bella. Before they could leave, however, they were made to drink a viscous red substance.

"It's for your own good," the nurse said, bored with their disgusted faces, "your blood will replenish much faster that way and you won't be as easily killed."

"Will you be requiring the birth-control shots?" she asked the three vampires in the waiting room.

"I don't think that will be necessary," the oldest one said, "we don't have any male slaves."

"All right then. They're all ready to go."

Each vampire pulled their hands behind their backs and escorted one out. They learned that their vampires' names were Edward, Jasper, and Carlisle.

"Don't touch me!" Bella snarled at Edward.

Edward just laughed.

"You're lucky, little one. We could have split the three of you up very easily. You're just lucky that my brothers are a soft touch."

Esme sent Bella a warning look not to keep on. She let out a resigned sigh.

They came to a black Mercedes, or at least that's what Esme thought it was. She wasn't terribly familiar with cars.

"Get in the back," Jasper told them, "it's going to be a little crowded. We weren't counting on three."

Alice sat in the middle, Bella sat on the right, and Esme sat on the left behind Carlisle. The three vampires talked as if they weren't even there. But in the short ride, the three of them had caught a few tidbits of information.

The oldest blonde, Carlisle, was a doctor that treated both humans and vampires. Jasper, the other blonde, was currently in college working on a psychology degree. The youngest, Edward, was still in high school but only had a year left. They had another sibling, Rosalie, that had just been married to another high-status vampire named Emmett. They had a father and two uncles that weren't around much, but made a few visits now and then to check on things. Apparently, the Cullen household was running low on slaves due to a little situation that they wouldn't say very much about. Esme guessed that there had been some sort of protest where their humans had been taken hostage and not returned.

Esme nearly fainted when they pulled up to the gates. She'd never lived in a place that so much as had a wooden fence. The heavy wrought-iron gate swung open after Carlisle punched in the code. They drove up another path, then came to a huge mansion.

"Good Lord..." Esme commented breathlessly.

"All right, out of the car," Edward said boredly. They did as they were told.

"The servant's quarters are next to the kitchen," Carlisle said, "as well as the bathrooms. We reload the pantries there every month. Other than that, you'll be responsible for feeding yourselves. Our blood is in the refrigerator. Each day, we'll leave a list of what needs to be done. If we ask anything further, we'll let you know. It might be best to decide which one of you will come to which one of us..."

Bella crossed her arms and gave Edward a dark glare when he pulled her forward. Jasper chose Alice.

"Can you read and write?" Carlisle asked Esme. She nodded.

"Some," she admitted, "I had to quit school when I was twelve."

"It's better than nothing. Follow me."

Esme sent an apologetic look to Alice and Bella, but at least the three girls could meet up later.

_My hands are small I know,_

_but they're not yours,_

_they are my own..._

_but they're not yours_

_they are my own...and..._

_I am never broken...._

_we are never broken...._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3........................The New Masters

A/N: Still shocked at the amount of hits I've been getting. I couldn't really think of a good song to go with this chapter, so I didn't make a chapter theme. The song that Melody sings is called "Blessed Be The Name". Please keep those reviews coming! I love reviews!

"As you can imagine, my work keeps me very busy," Carlisle said, leading her through the cavernous house, "I have quite a job on my hands keeping up with everything. I need you to be my assistant."

They turned down another hallway and passed a curved flight of stairs. Paintings of vampires lined the hallway.

"Ancestors?" she asked.

"Yes."

She shuddered slightly. Carlisle chuckled.

"They are a nightmarish-looking bunch, aren't they? Can you imagine wandering these halls as a child?"

Esme couldn't help but smile a little.

"My office is down here."

"It's so...dark..."Esme commented as they neared the door.

"Yes. Father is long overdue for some redecorating," Carlisle commented, "but he doesn't take the time to do anything about it. And I'm no interior designer."

Esme examined the place.

"If you would get rid of these heavy velvet curtains and replace them with sheers, it would brighten things up considerably. These old window boxes could use some flowers as well."

He opened the door. A few chairs, a couch, and a table of magazines were there. A desk sat in one corner with a computer on it. A few filing cabinets were behind it. In the next room, there were a few hospital beds, some equipment, and what looked like a storage room.

"Private practice," Carlisle commented, "I usually make house calls. I also do a few shifts at the regular hospital as well."

She nodded.

"The last human that worked here got my files mixed up. I'm expecting a few patients soon, so I need you to get those back in alphabetical order."

He watched her sort out the A section. After he was sure she could do it, he let the first appointment in.

"Esme, get me the chart for Seamus McGee."

It took some searching, but she found his folder and passed it to Carlisle. A young red-haired vampire with a bandage around his neck was carried in by a burly older vampire.

"What seems to be the problem?" Carlisle asked.

"The lad was messin' around after school," the older vampire said, "got in a fight and got himself bit."

"Bring him back here," Carlisle said.

Esme couldn't resist poking her head in the door. No one was paying attention to her. Carlisle unwound the bandage and a nasty, bitter smell rose up.

"Hmm...that's a bad bite. Most of the time, it's easier just to let the venom wear off by itself, but I'll give him an antidote. He should be able to move again in a couple of hours. It will probably bruise and hurt for a couple of days."

Carlisle cleaned away the venom that still stuck to his skin. It was a sour greenish color and Esme felt her thin breakfast bubble inside her stomach for a moment. She was surprised to find that vampire blood was not red, but a pearly white color. That would explain their paleness...

He injected a clear substance into the boy's neck.

"You'll be here for a couple of hours at least," Carlisle told him, "but it beats three days."

"Thanks, doc."

She assumed that the other vampire was the boy's father. He shuffled him around on the bed until Seamus was laying on his back.

"Get some sleep, Seamus. I'll be back to check on ya in a little while. I might as well do the shoppin' while I'm out."

A buzzing sound made Esme jump.

"Someone's at the gate," Carlisle told her, "press that red button over there."

She did. After a few minutes, a male and female vampire came in. The female was supporting the male, who was doubled over and moaning in pain.

"Oh, Dr. Cullen, you gotta help me! My insides are on fire!" he moaned. Carlisle gestured to the back room.

"What have you been eating recently?" Carlisle asked.

The woman rolled her eyes.

"James has an affection for human food, namely pizza. He ate an entire one this morning that was intended for the servants."

James let out a nasty-sounding belch.

"But it was wonderful...it tasted even better dipped in blood...I couldn't help myself..."

Esme stifled a giggle.

Carlisle shook his head.

"You know you can't digest human food. Our bodies aren't made for it. Why do you think we have such narrow intestines?"

He gave James's swollen belly a poke. The poor man looked like he was six months pregnant!

"I can give you something to get it out of your system, but you'll be here all night," he warned him.

James moaned again.

"All right, fine!"

Carlisle got a cup of water, then mixed some powder into it. The water hissed and turned orange with bubbles floating to the surface.

"Go to that bathroom over there before you drink this," he told him, "and I would get a few magazines if I were you."

James sighed and took the cup. The woman vampire rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, I'm not sure what I see in that dolt sometimes," she sighed.

Carlisle laughed.

"Well, Victoria, at least he's good-looking," he teased.

Victoria laughed.

"He sure does have a knack for getting into trouble."

Esme noticed that Carlisle seemed completely at ease with his patients. She went back to her work. She supposed (if there were no hidden surprises) that Carlisle wouldn't be that bad of a master to work for.

"As your master, your first job is to help me find my Psychology of Personality book," Jasper said, sounding frustrated, "I need it for class tomorrow."

Alice stared. Jasper's room was an absolute mess! She wasn't sure she'd be able to find a book in the debris that littered the floor. Cans from carbonated blood littered the floor and so did a lot of clothes. She slipped on one of them and nearly fell over. Jasper grabbed her before she could hit the floor.

"Sorry about this," he apologized, "I'm not the world's best house keeper."

There was something about him that made her _want _to help him. Alice knew that the clothes would need to be washed eventually, so she rescued a red laundry basket from under the bed.

"Maybe if we cleared all this junk out..." he said, almost reading her mind.

Alice collected the clothes while Jasper collected the garbage in a nearby waste basket. The books went back on the shelf. After what seemed like an eternity, she found the book hidden under a pillow.

"Here it is...I think...didn't you say the cover was blue and yellow?"

Jasper chunked the last can into the garbage with a loud "CLANG!"

"That's the one. Thank you so much! Now, if you could just take that basket of clothes downstairs..."

He took the garbage can. Alice had no idea where the laundry room was, so she had no choice but to follow him.

"You don't have to be afraid," Jasper told her, sensing the nervousness she still felt, "not all vampires are monsters."

"Right before they took us to the Trade Center, I saw a man killed," Alice told him, "and we lost our parents because of vampires."

"I'm sorry."

It sounded like he really meant it. Alice willed the character from her dream to live...to live within this man.

"Let me show you how to wash clothes," he said, motioning to the laundry room. Alice was grateful that there were symbols on the care tags since she couldn't read. Esme had intended to teach her, but the only thing she'd managed to learn before their capture was the alphabet and how to count to ten. She couldn't read the settings on the wash machine, but she quickly picked up how to change them based on the position of the knob.

"You're doing a great job," Jasper told her, "now we have to wait for them to wash. I'll show you around the kitchen."

He showed her how to heat up the blood. They sat at the table together. Jasper drank his blood and Alice had a glass of water. It had been a long time since she could remember having clean water to drink.

"There's four of us," he explained, "Edward, me, and Carlisle. Oh, and there's Rosalie, but she lives with her husband Emmett. She visits us sometimes. Our father's name is Aro and our mother's name is Sulpicia. Our uncles are Marcus and Caius. They don't come by but maybe once a month. They're part of the Volturi Government, so they have to travel all the time. While Father's gone, we're in charge of the house."

Alice nodded, trying to make mental note of all this.

A soft soprano voice wound its way through the room. Another slave appeared, this one clad in dark blue, and dumped a pile of dishes into the sink. Her hair was black with purple highlights. Her dark eyes were as big as a doe's.

"That's Melody," Jasper said, "she has a few mental problems, but Carlisle couldn't leave her on the street to rot. She's not perfect, but she's pretty sweet. She hasn't spoken a word since I met her, but she sings beautifully. And she knows how to do everything. If you ever have any questions, she'll show you."

Alice nodded. She noticed that the left side of Melody's face was scarred up.

"Her last master did that to her. Took Carlisle hours to put her face back together. Father tried to sell her a couple of times, but nobody wants her except us."

Melody turned and took their empty glasses. She smiled at Alice and went back to humming.

"Carlisle treats her like a little sister. Sometimes he asks her to sing when he gets lonely. I think our dad's a little scared of her because she always knows which song to sing. He says she used to be in a church choir before we got her. If she does a real good job, sometimes he lets her go to church again."

Right in that moment, Melody began to sing:

_Blessed be your name_

_in the land that is plentiful_

_where the streams of abundance flow..._

_blessed be your name!_

_And blessed be your name_

_when I'm found in the desert place,_

_though I walk through the wilderness,_

_blessed be your name!_

"Truly a childlike faith," Jasper commented.

"Well, I gotta go upstairs and see how Edward's doing. Think you can finish those clothes by yourself?" Jasper asked.

"Maybe," Alice answered uncertainly.

"Melody," Jasper said. Melody stopped singing and turned her head.

"Show Alice the ropes, will you?"

Melody smiled and nodded.

"Good girl. I'll be upstairs if you need me."

Jasper left. Melody went on singing and scrubbing the dishes. Alice took a dish towel and begun to dry them. She felt strangely at ease in Melody's company, even if Melody had mental problems.

"I don't know where they go," Alice admitted when the last dish was dry.

Melody gestured to the counters and opened all the doors so that Alice could see their contents. Alice helped her put away the dishes.

"Tell me, are all the Cullen men this nice?" Alice asked, figuring Melody would tell the truth. Melody pointed in the direction that Jasper had gone and nodded. She walked across the room and motioned for Alice to follow. Alice found herself looking at a portrait of the Cullens. One by one, Melody pointed to each one and either nodded or shook her head.

"So, that doctor is nice," Alice said, interpreting her gestures out loud, "and Jasper's nice, what about Edward?"

Melody shrugged.

"He's got his moments, I guess," Alice guessed.

Melody nodded.

She pointed to Rosalie and shook her head. She nodded at Emmett. Aro, Caius, and Marcus got shoulder shrugs. Sulpicia got a nod.

"Okay, so the ones who stay here all the time are mostly okay, right?"

A nod.

"When did you come here?" Alice asked. Melody held up three fingers.

"Three...years?"

She nodded.

The buzzer on the washing machine went off. Melody motioned for Alice to follow her. Together, they took the clothes out of the washer and put them in the dryer. Melody showed her what the correct settings were and which items needed to be air-dried. The air-dry items were either hung on hangers from the shelf or lain flat on plastic bags to dry. Alice could already see that she'd made a friend.

Bella, on the other hand, had a few difficulties. Edward sent her mixed signals, being friendly one moment and condescending the next. He seemed to think her clumsiness and temper combined were quite funny. He liked ordering her around much too much for her taste.

"Go get me a drink."

She dashed down the stairs and retrieved a bottle of blood for him.

"Now, go get..."

The amount of orders he gave that started with those three words seemed endless. By the fifteenth or sixteenth trip up the stairs, Bella was exhausted and panting. The only reason she didn't resist was because Esme had told her not to. Edward laughed as she leaned against the door frame, breathing hard.

"One last thing," he told her, "take my clothes downstairs to the wash."

Bella wanted to groan. His clothes basket was overflowing, but she did as she was told, cursing him out under her breath. Edward just chuckled and went back to watching television.

Alice and Melody were folding clothes just as Bella approached the washer, staggering under the giant basket.

"Bella!"

Alice hugged her as if they'd been separated for days.

"I hate Edward Cullen," Bella muttered, "I hope he chokes on his blood tonight."

Alice would have giggled if she hadn't seen that Bella was serious.

"Who's this?" she asked.

"This is Melody. She's been here for about three years. "

Melody smiled.

"This is my sister, Bella," Alice told her.

Melody finished folding the clothes and took them upstairs while Bella and Alice put Edward's load in.

"He keeps asking for one thing at a time. I've been up and down those stairs at least a hundred times," Bella complained, "and he's got such an attitude. He reminds me of a spoiled prince."

"Well, I'm sorry you've had such rotten luck," Alice said, turning on the machine.

"Why doesn't Melody say anything? And what happened to her face?"

"She's got mental problems. Jasper says her last master did that. She doesn't talk, but she sings all the time. They make it sound like she's the only one who managed to stay here."

"I wonder what happened..."

"I hope Esme's doing all right."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.......................Day 1

A/N: Didn't have a song inspiration in particular for this one either, but I managed to crank out another chapter. So, here it is...a day in the life of the Cullen men! And by the way, keep those reviews coming :) If you can take the time out to read the story, you can surely take a few extra seconds to peck out a message to me.

Dinner at the Cullen household was a strange affair. Not only did the girls have to sort out which kind of animal blood that the Cullens wanted to have, but they also had to figure out which ones were meant for meals and which ones were drinks. Meal-type blood was thicker and was consumed in a bowl with a spoon. Drinking blood was thinner and came in different containers. For the kind that was served in glasses, it came in a huge jug similar to what milk was once served in.

"I hope Edward ran out of demands," Bella said, "I'm halfway tempted to throw something else in there to give him a belly ache."

"I wouldn't," Esme warned, "you'll just cause him to make a mess in the bathroom."

Remembering James and his "problem", she shuddered. Luckily, the worst of it was the smell. She and Carlisle had been forced to leave all the windows open to let the area air out.

"You're joking! Human food gives vampires..." Bella dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"Yes."

"We're waiting!" Edward's voice called.

Bella sighed.

"If only stakes and garlic weren't myths," she sighed, getting the bowl for Edward. The other girls followed.

The three men were sitting at the table. Carlisle gave Esme a thankful smile as she placed the dish in front of him. Jasper thanked Alice and immediately began to eat. Edward was the only one who hesitated. He opened his mouth to say something, but Carlisle gave him a Look and Edward kept his comment to himself.

"Go get something for yourselves in the kitchen," Carlisle told them, "we'll call if we need anything."

They left gratefully. They could catch a discussion that was going on between Carlisle and Edward. It seemed that they disagreed on the proper way to treat slaves.

In the kitchen, Melody was standing by the stove stirring something. The most delicious smell came out of the pot. It was something Bella and Alice had never smelled before. Melody gestured to the chairs and table and started ladling whatever it was into bowls.

"Macaroni and cheese! I never dreamed I'd see this stuff again!" Esme exclaimed. Melody smiled again.

Melody turned out to be a wonderful cook. The cheese sauce was deliciously creamy and slid smoothly down their throats. The pasta was far more filling than their tiny meals had ever been. It was strange to have a truly full stomach. The girls put their dishes in their sink and went to go get the Cullens' dishes.

"Well, heaven knows it isn't perfect," Esme said as they cleaned up the kitchen, "but at least we have shelter and food."

"Bella!" Edward's singsong voice called from the other room.

Bella groaned.

"Now what does he want? Don't answer that."

Despite feeling sorry for her sister, Alice couldn't help but giggle.

After all three of the Cullen boys were situated for the night, Alice, Bella, and Esme went yawning into their servants' quarters. It felt strange to sleep in an actual bed. After being used to pallets of blankets and straw, the mattress felt too hard. Alice and Bella pushed their beds together and Esme helped them. Then, she tucked them in as she did every night.

"Let's say our prayers," Esme told them. The three of them held hands and were about to pray when they heard the door open. Melody came in and looked at the three of them with her mournful dark eyes.

"Come here, Melody."

Melody joined hands with them.

It took Esme a very long time to get to sleep. Bella was so tired from the running around that she'd done that she was snoring softly in a matter of minutes. Alice dropped off shortly after she did. Melody was silent as she slept, but her slow, even breath told Esme that she was out as well.

Esme got out of bed, cringing at the cold tile floor under her feet. She stood at the window and looked outside. A beautiful garden was visible from there. The moon was bright, casting everything in a beautiful silvery light. Her heart ached for their parents so much that it hurt, but she knew it was time to grow up and move on. This would be their life from now on...

She stayed at the window for a very long time. After a while, it got even colder, so she shivered and went back to bed. After what seemed like an eternity, she stopped shivering and fell asleep.

The next morning came all too soon. Their day began long before sunrise and Melody shook them all awake. Edward had to go to school, Jasper had to go to college, and Carlisle had to go to work. They warmed up the blood and had it waiting on the table as the three men came downstairs. Edward was still drowsy, his messy copper-red hair falling in his eyes. Jasper seemed the most alert and was already dressed. Carlisle was ready as well, but he was still trying to stifle the occasional yawn. Bella knew that Edward must be tired because he didn't heckle her once throughout breakfast. Carlisle gave Bella, Alice, and Melody a list of things that he wanted done around the house. Just as Esme was about to ask, he turned to her.

"You're coming with me," he explained.

"Oh..." was all she could say.

"Don't worry about your sisters," Carlisle told her, "I'm sure that they can manage here with Melody's help. Go get something to eat. I'll meet you by the door in a few minutes."

Cold cereal wasn't her favorite and it made her stomach more nervous. They did not, however, have time to make anything else. She choked it down quickly and brushed her hair. Knowing she might need to keep her hair out of her face, Esme braided it tightly and used a rubber band to tie off the end.

"Good luck, Esme," Alice said sadly.

"Don't look so sad! I'll be back later," Esme promised them. She kissed them both on the forehead.

Carlisle was waiting by the door. In one hand, he held a simple pair of black shoes. In the other, he held a black coat.

"Put these on," he told her, "it's chilly out and I'd rather you didn't get sick."

She did as she was told, surprised that both things fit her so well. She got in the car with him and they drove off just as the sun was coming up.

"One of my patients is due to have a baby," Carlisle told her, "and she preferred to have it at home. Does the sight of blood make you sick?"

Esme shrugged. She'd bandaged Alice and Bella up plenty of times when they'd gotten a cut or scrape, but she'd never been exposed to a lot of it.

"I'm afraid some of the things you might see today are very graphic," Carlisle said, "but it's part of being a doctor."

The ride took roughly half an hour. Despite Esme's irritation at being a slave, she couldn't help but admit that she was a little excited. Carlisle spoke to her almost as though she was his equal. It was easy to forget at times that she was a slave.

"Get my bag out of the back," he told her. She did.

They stopped at a large scary-looking mansion with gargoyles everywhere. She would never have gone in there herself if Carlisle wasn't going.

"The Samson coven," he explained, "they're about the same status as our family. Be careful of them and stay close to me. If you wander off, you're liable to find yourself being drained."

She nodded and clutched his doctor's bag more tightly to her stomach.

A male slave answered the door. His dark eyes were cold and lifeless and he had whip-marks all up and down his arms.

"Master has been expecting you," he croaked, his voice crackling like dry leaves, "I shall go tell him you're here."

He couldn't have been more than nineteen, but he had the oldest eyes Esme had ever seen on someone so young.

As the slave dashed upstairs to talk to his master, Esme looked around. There were several scary portraits on the wall and various torture instruments on display.

"Please tell me he doesn't use them," she pleaded to Carlisle.

"Of course not," Carlisle said unconvincingly, "it's more of a...collection. Similar to the way humans used to collect baseball cards."

Esme tried to laugh, but it was a brittle, nervous sound. The slave reappeared, one of his eyes starting to swell.

"He is upstairs expecting you sir," the slave said, his voice sounding even worse now than it had, "the mistress is already in labor and expects the baby anytime."

Carlisle motioned for Esme to follow him. A mournful song was playing on the radio nearby. She was tempted to shut it off because it only made her feel more scared.

They entered the largest bedroom Esme had ever seen. Nestled in a crimson-decorated bed, a female vampire lay gasping and panting. Her belly was huge and looked hard as stone.

"Hurry," she panted, "it's biting me!"

Carlisle pulled her shirt up and sponged her hard belly down with some strong-smelling disinfectant. He then rummaged through the bag and pulled out a scalpel.

"Esme, get a clean, dry towel. Hurry."

She did. Carlisle positioned her hands underneath it.

"Stay just like that," he told her.

A nasty scraping sound sent sharp little pains shooting down Esme's spine as Carlisle made a clean horizontal cut along the pregnant vampire's bikini line. A line of pearly white blood glistened there and Esme's stomach did a flip. She swallowed hard as Carlisle parted the flesh. She clinched her eyes closed for a moment, willing herself not to throw up. Just listening to the sounds made her hurt.

Suddenly, there was a wiggly, wet slimy thing in Carlisle's hands. He plunked the thing into Esme's outstretched hands, then ripped away the birth sac. A little vampire baby was now visible, and he was crying at the top of his lungs. Carlisle cut the cord, then rapidly closed the wound on the baby's mother. Her skin sealed together instantly, leaving a neat scar.

"There don't appear to be any complications," he said, taking the baby from Esme. While he had been taking care of the mother, Esme had instinctively cleaned the baby up as best as she could.

The mother took the baby, cooing affectionately at him. Esme was astonished when the baby smiled as his mother and his cries turned to soft mumblings.

"COLBY! GET IN HERE!" the father shouted.

The slave appeared.

"Clean up," he said, gesturing to the mess.

"I'll help you," Esme volunteered.

It didn't take them but about ten minutes. By the time they had put the towels in to be washed, Carlisle was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"Next call," Carlisle mouthed, pointing at his cell phone.

During these rounds, Esme found out some very unusual information. Vampires, it seemed, could get sick but from different ailments than humans did. Blood clots were an extremely common problem. Too much venom in the bloodstream could also be another common problem. There was also a virus that would cause a vampire to get flu-like symptoms. Instead of getting runny noses, however, they would secrete extra venom from the glands in their gums. To Esme, it wasn't any less gross. Carlisle had to chuckle at her expression as one of the vampires continuously dabbed at his mouth with a handkerchief. He had a couple of expectant mothers to check up on, then they were ready to go home.

Esme was very hungry by the time they made it home. Melody was already starting to warm up the blood. The vampires were having mountain lion blood tonight and the humans were having fried chicken. Edward was oddly quiet that night.

_He must have gone all day without eating,_ Bella thought, _his eyes are so dark..._

She was frightened for just a moment when she placed Edward's bowl in front of him and he directed that hungry gaze towards her. Thankfully, he didn't stare for long. When he did start to eat, he attacked his meal as though he hadn't had anything to eat in days. Bella cringed and left.

Later on, when she stepped into the shower that night, she realized that the tense moment at dinner....had been exciting...

_Have I lost my mind? He could kill me in a heartbeat, _she thought, lathering her hair up with shampoo, _and he's so demanding...and rude at times...but he's so good-looking...oh, no! I can't be thinking that!_

Esme noticed that Bella was being oddly quiet.

"Is everything all right, Bella?" she asked.

Bella shook her head, frustrated tears welling up in her eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it? Come on, I'll make us some hot tea."

A few minutes later, they were sitting together at the table.

"But he's so mean! I don't understand why I started feeling...different..." Bella choked out.

Esme stroked her hair and gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Bells, you're growing up. The only reason you didn't notice these things before now was because you were never around any boys your age. Edward's not making you mad because he hates you, he's doing it because he thinks its funny. And, let's face it," she sighed, "they aren't hard to look at, either."

Bella smiled through her tears of frustration.

"Do you think Carlisle's cute?" she asked.

Esme paused, her hand on the roll of paper towels. As she ripped one off for Bella to dry her face on, she thought that over.

"I'm not sure," she admitted, "it's hard for me to think of him that way. He's so much older than I am..."

Bella blew her nose and the traces of her tears had begun to vanish.

"Edward says he can read everybody's mind but mine," she admitted, "I'm sort of glad he can't. I wouldn't like having a boy in my head all the time."

Alice chuckled.

"One that can feel all of your emotions is almost as bad," she informed her sister, "Jasper always thinks I'm upset with him. What I don't understand is why he cares so much about what I feel. We are only slaves to them, aren't we?"

Little did the three girls know, a pair of golden eyes was watching from a crack in the door.

"Maybe there's a little more to this than meets the eye," Esme admitted, "but we can't very well make that assumption yet. I imagine they do get lonely in this huge house."

"But they're not here all day," Bella reminded her.

The golden eyes disappeared.

"No, they're not. But you know yourself how easy it is to feel alone in a crowd," Esme reminded her.

Edward ventured down the hallway. Normally, he was only this nervous when their father was home. He trusted his older brothers with his life, however, and what they said might potentially affect his future. Summoning up his fifteen-year old courage, he knocked on the door to Carlisle's office.

"It's open."

Edward stepped inside.

"Hi Edward."

Carlisle frowned, seeing the look on Edward's face. He also noticed that Edward's eyes were dark despite having just had dinner.

"What's wrong?" Carlisle asked.

"I'm in need of an...uh....professional opinion," Edward sighed.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A/N: Short chapter, I know, but I felt like it ended where it should. I'll try to make a longer one next time. Thank you guys for the reviews! I love getting those things! Poor Edward…many of you guys wrote to me about my cliff-hanger…but I had to keep you coming back…(evil laughs).

"So...what's going on?" Edward asked.

He was very confused by Carlisle's big grin.

"I've seen this five or six different times at least. It's called _la tua cantante_, your singer. It's named after some old myth. You're attracted to the smell of Bella's blood."

Edward frowned, looking surprised.

"No one knows why it happens," Carlisle continued, "but my theory is that it's a reverse allergy. Instead of causing an immune response, your body calls you closer to her. In the old days, vampires used to use that to determine their mates. If their blood smelled sweet, the vampire found themselves drawn to the supposed victim. After that, if the vampires could resist draining them while injecting the venom, they would have their so-called soul mate. I've done some research on this and found that both have physical responses to each other's presences. Things happen chemically in the brain and the blood."

Edward frowned more.

"But she's a slave...how can that be?"

Carlisle reclined back in his chair.

"Your head knows that, but it doesn't matter to the rest of you. All that your body knows is that you're a he and she's a she. You're probably going to have thirst problems until you get used to her presence...as well as some other things. The important thing that I must stress to you is that you keep control over yourself. I suggest that you limit your contact with Bella until that happens. And keep her away from anything that could break her skin."

He nodded.

"How long does it last?" Edward asked.

"I'm not sure," Carlisle admitted, "some take longer than others to adjust to it. The ones that never changed their humans said it was a lifetime battle, some days better than others."

"Wait...we can change them?"

Edward was genuinely surprised.

"Sure they can be changed. It's a risky thing, though. It takes both vampire blood and venom to cause their cells to mutate. The humans have to be carefully monitored as the venom and the blood do their job, or they might have complications. Once the process is started, it doesn't stop. We can't take away the pain they go through--most human-turned vampires say it burns like fire--but we can make them more comfortable and make sure that their airways aren't blocked or anything. The change takes about three days."

So many things were reeling through Edward's mind at once that he got an instant headache. Even with the expansive, vast vampire capacity for thought, it still overwhelmed him.

"The reason that vampires don't usually change humans is because a full-grown newborn is much more dangerous than a vampire baby. A fully grown newborn has massive amounts of strength, but they are unpredictable and dangerous because they don't have the control yet. In fact, there's a law that states you're not supposed to turn a human unless you have the government's permission."

Seeing Edward try to figure all this out nearly made Carlisle smile. He sighed moodily and walked off, trying to process all that.

A delicious smell filled the air. After a quick knock, Esme came in carrying a steaming mug of blood.

"I noticed that you weren't upstairs yet, so I figured you were working late."

Carlisle took the mug.

"Thank you."

Esme paused by his desk. He was filling out some sort of paperwork for a new machine, but she didn't know what it was for. His golden hair shone softly in the lamplight, and for just a split second, she had the urge to run her fingers through it. She wondered if it would feel as silky as it looked.

Still seeing her shadow, Carlisle paused, still holding his pen in the same spot.

"Did you need anything else?" she asked awkwardly.

He smiled.

"No. You can go now."

Blushing furiously, Esme turned and walked away. Unknown to her, Carlisle knew she had because the scent of her blood suddenly got stronger.

"That's IT! If you want anything else from downstairs, you can get it yourself! I'm so tired!" Bella was trying to yell, but her puffing and gasping ruined the effect. Edward had demanded more blood yet again. She couldn't figure out why he seemed to be eating all the time and he'd been very cranky with her today.

Edward had crossed his arms over his chest and was now giving Bella an intense look.

"I'm giving you five seconds to shut up. If you don't, there will be consequences."

"Like what?" Bella retorted.

Before she could react, he was across the room by her in the blink of an eye. Her arm was twisted behind her back. It seemed that if he moved it too much more, he was going to break it for sure.

"It doesn't take much to snap a human bone," Edward said warningly, "and I promise you, I would do it if I had a reason."

His cold breath on the back of her neck made her shiver slightly. He saw the gooseflesh rise on her arms. Her skin had a soft sheen of perspiration from having to run back and forth so many times. The wet, squishy thump of her heartbeat was almost too much for him.

"Go to bed," he demanded, slinging Bella away from him. She almost lost her balance and had to grab onto the door frame to keep from falling. Giving him a withering look, she stomped away. He couldn't hear her thoughts, which drove him crazy. He did, however, know that she was mad at him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as soon as she was out of earshot.

Jasper lay across his bed, notebooks and textbooks spread out around him. He was pecking furiously at the laptop computer that was in front of him. His stomach rumbled--where the Hell was Alice? Hadn't he sent her to the kitchen a long time ago?

_I can't get mad at her,_ he reminded himself, _it's my fault I didn't do the damn paper until the last minute anyway._

Right on cue, Alice appeared with his midnight snack. It was getting late and she looked very tired. He accepted the blood gratefully and took a deep drink. Forcing himself to get back at the task at hand, he began to type again. Alice watched his fingers dance over the keys so fast that it seemed nearly impossible that he was typing. The metal keys clinked as they were pressed down. When humans had ruled the world, the keys had been plastic. Due to vampire strength, the laptops were now made of a lightweight metal that wasn't quite so easily injured. She seated herself in the floor. Jasper was so distracted that he didn't really pay attention to her.

She didn't want to admit it, but she liked being near him. Maybe it was because of all the dreams she'd had, maybe it was because she was a thirteen-year old girl and that's what thirteen year old girls did. Despite all of their mother's warnings, he didn't _feel _dangerous. His presence was dark and mysterious as with all vampires, but he felt..._safe._ If he asked her to do anything, he either helped or he kept her company while she did it. They'd talked a little bit, not enough to say they really knew each other...but she _wanted_ to know him.

She inched closer to the bed until the sleek covers brushed against her shoulder. The material felt so cool and inviting...maybe she could just rest her head for a moment. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the bed. Drowsily, she realized she was sliding into the carpeted floor, but she was too tired to resist. Eventually, she dozed off.

Jasper pressed "print" on the screen, then gathered up the books and notebooks and tossed them carelessly into his desk chair.

"Alice?"

She didn't respond.

He knelt over her. Her slow, deep breaths told him that she was sleeping. Knowing he had an exam tomorrow, Jasper knew he should sleep even though he wasn't tired. But what to do with Alice? He was afraid to move her all the way down to the servant's quarters for fear he would wake her. Part of him wanted to scoff at that notion. Afraid to wake a servant? Ha.

But something else stopped him. With her light blue dress, small size, and heart-shaped face, she looked like a fairy...no, a pixie. A little smile, signaling a dream, played on her lips. Jasper couldn't help but smile. Knowing he'd be in trouble if Father ever came home and caught them, he carefully scooped Alice up and lay her on his bed. He covered her up and slipped a pillow under her head. She'd be fine right there...she showed no signs of moving anytime soon. He could always say he wanted someone to keep him company while he finished his paper or something...

The printer finished spitting out the paper, so he shut everything off and carefully stowed it in his school bag. Then, he changed into his pajamas and stretched out beside Alice. The bed was extremely soft and he felt as though Alice was almost being pulled towards him. Hoping this wouldn't be a problem, he clicked off the lamp beside the bed.

He'd almost been asleep when Alice rolled over and one arm flung across his chest. As gently as he could, he moved it, but it didn't stay put. Giving up, he closed his eyes and allowed the darkness of sleep to take him away.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Alice, wake up."

Mumbling, she rolled over. A cold hand on the back of her neck made her yelp in surprise. She opened her dark eyes to see Jasper there. He was already up and dressed. Her face flushed hotly in embarrassment as she recalled falling asleep in the floor.

"The others need you downstairs," he told her, "it's almost time for breakfast."

"Okay."

She took off as if she were a bullet fired from a gun. What would Esme and Bella say? She didn't know too much about the way thing worked between a boy and a girl, but she was still ashamed nonetheless. Wasn't sleeping with someone considered bad?

"There you are," Esme said, "we were wondering why you never showed up for bed."

"I slept with him."

Alice's voice was dark with guilt. Esme frowned and Bella almost dropped the bowl she was holding.

"I know we haven't had this talk yet, so I want to start by asking you what you mean," Esme said calmly.

"Well, I was waiting to see if Jasper needed anything else," Alice said, "he was up late on his computer. I fell asleep in the floor and I woke up in his bed."

Bella breathed a sigh of relief and Esme fought her laughter.

"Oh, honey, you had me scared for a minute. So all you did literally was sleep?"

She nodded, cheeks still rosy from embarrassment.

"Take Jasper his blood. As soon as the vampires are all out of the house, I have a lot to talk to you about."

Alice seemed relieved that she hadn't "done a bad thing". She obediently took the bowl of blood into the dining room and vowed to herself that she would be more careful around Jasper.

"I said I wanted it warmer," Edward snapped at Bella.

Bella crossed her arms.

"You have a microwave and ten fingers that work. You go get it."

Before anyone had a chance to react, Edward slammed Bella into the wall.

"Tell me, little one, who is the vampire here?"

Bella sneered at him until he twisted her arm painfully behind her back.

"You are," she choked out, the smirk disappearing instantly.

"And who gives the orders?"

"You do..."

Esme was positive she heard something snap. She gave Carlisle a pleading look that said "do something!".

"Very good. You're not as dumb as you look. Take that bowl back to the kitchen and warm it up more or you'll have Hell to pay."

He released her and Bella fled to the kitchen as fast as she could. In her haste, she tripped and nearly dropped the bowl. Blood sloshed over the sides and she said a few things that she surely didn't learn from Esme.

"Edward," Carlisle said sternly.

Edward sighed.

"But-"

A serious Look from Carlisle shut him up.

"Okay, fine."

Esme had forgotten that Edward could read minds. She wondered what kind of conversation had just taken place. She went into the kitchen to find Bella, who was white as a sheet.

"Did he hurt you?" Esme asked, "Let me see your arm.

It wasn't broken, thankfully, but her wrist was badly sprained and there were bruises forming where Edward's fingers had dug into her soft flesh. Carlisle came in a few seconds later.

"I'm going to need to get you a brace for your arm," Carlisle said, "come with me."

Esme took Edward's breakfast to him. He seemed furious, but he said nothing to Esme. Seeing that they didn't need anything else right now, Esme and Alice went to go check on Bella. Melody was washing up. Bella didn't say anything while Carlisle put the brace together, but she collapsed into Esme's arms as soon as he left.

"I hate him! Of all the people that could have gotten me, it had to be Edward Cullen!"

She sobbed into Esme's shoulder.

"Why couldn't humans have just stayed the dominant species? What's so great about these vampires, anyway!"

Esme knew it was mostly because they were so hard to kill, but she didn't tell Bella that. Right now, Bella just needed a sympathetic ear.

"I miss Mom and Dad," she whimpered, "I never even got to go to school...I never even got to tell them I loved them one last time!"

Esme ran her fingers through Bella's hair, knowing it would calm her down. Alice's eyes were starting to well with tears as well.

"I know this is hard," Esme told her when she went silent, "you've gotten used to living a certain way and it's all suddenly changed. That would shake anyone to their core. But you know what? You and Alice are very brave. Edward didn't see you cry."

Bella sniffed and Esme got her a paper towel for her nose.

"I wouldn't give that leech the satisfaction!" she said firmly.

Esme smiled.

"That's my sister. I know that taking orders from Edward is very difficult, but the two of you will get used to each other in time. He's a teenage boy; he'll eventually grow out of it."

"Everything is so confusing right now," Alice sighed.

"I know."

Carlisle poked his head in the door.

"Esme, you can help Bella today. I have a conference to go to. We're out. The list is on the table."

"All right."

He gave Bella a sympathetic look before leaving.

Once they were sure that the Cullens were gone, they started on the list. While they were dusting the numerous portraits and cleaning, Esme told Alice and Bella about the facts of life. They seemed both fascinated and disgusted at the same time. Alice, who hadn't yet gotten her "time of the month", didn't seem too thrilled with the idea at all.

"I don't blame you," Esme told her, "I'm not crazy about it myself."

"I don't want a baby," Bella said, scrubbing out the sink furiously, "taking care of Edward is more than hard enough. I'm surprised he's not still in diapers."

Esme and Alice chuckled.

"All he does is whine, whine, whine! He tells me to go get this or that, then he waits until I get all the way back upstairs to him before he tells me he wants something else, too. Everytime I straighten up his room, he purposely makes it a wreck again. I think he'd make me do his homework if I could read," she huffed.

Esme finished mopping the floor once they were all out.

"I'm sure it's going to get better eventually," she told them, "at least we get enough to eat and a warm place to sleep at night."

Melody was humming to herself as she cleaned out the fireplace. She seemed oblivious to their conversation. Something fell from her as she got up and clattered on the hearth. Melody didn't seem to notice. Esme bent to pick the object up.

It was a small silver locket. She flipped it open. Inside the locket was a picture of a blonde-haired man. She assumed it was a vampire because of the coloring. He had a catlike smile and wore a bandana around his head. The name "Daniel" was written in script on the other side of the locket.

"Look at this," Esme commented, "it looks like she had someone special."

Melody returned, a frantic expression on her face. It appeared as though the chain had broken. Esme noticed a link that was loose and squeezed it back together.

"Here you go."

Melody gave her a grateful smile and put it back around her neck. It intrigued them all to know that though Melody had her problems that she could love, too.

They finished the rest of their chores and started to prepare dinner. The Cullens got mountain lion blood and the girls got stir-fry. They were just getting the blood on the table when Carlisle came in. His eyes were a cinnamon color, indicating he hadn't had a chance to eat yet. Jasper arrived about five minutes after Carlisle. Edward was the last one to come in. His intense stare made Bella shudder; his eyes were almost completely black. He seemed thirsty enough to forget about taunting Bella because he didn't say a word through the whole meal.

"Edward, are you okay? You're awfully quiet this evening," Carlisle commented.

"I've had better days," Edward responded.

"Want to talk about it?" Carlisle asked.

"Not now." Edward's gaze went sideways towards the kitchen.

_You can come to my office later if you want._

_Yeah. I'll do that._

If it was possible for a vampire to be paler than usual, Edward certainly was. He seemed to be very agitated by something. Bella came to collect his empty bowl. As she picked it up, her arm accidentally brushed against his. Edward reacted as if he'd been burned, flinging himself away from her. Startled, Bella gave him a questioning look. He refused to look her in the face, so she didn't say anything.

"Carlisle, I have to do something! This is killing me! I smell her all the time! It makes me crazy!" Edward complained, "I feel like I'm losing my mind!"

Carlisle's expression was thoughtful and far away.

"Maybe you should spend some time away. Aren't Tanya and her family going camping for the weekend?"

Edward nodded.

"Why don't you go with them? I think it would be good for you. It would give you a chance to hunt and unleash your natural instincts for a while. When you come back, you'll probably have better control."

"Alright," Edward said breathlessly, "I'll go call her right now."

He sprinted out of the office and up the stairs. Carlisle couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He was grateful to be immune to human blood or he would have the same problem.

Esme smelled wonderful to him, but not in a food kind of way.

He began to wonder if there was a bit more to the picture than just vampires and humans. Hopefully Edward would be all right.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7.....................Aro, Jane, and Alec.

A/N: I can't believe how few reviews I'm getting in relations to the hits. I don't want to be mean and deprive you guys, but I really want some feedback. Before I add the next chapter, I want ten reviews. I do appreciate you guys taking time to read the story, but some more feedback would definitely help. Help a starving college-student authoress out, please!

The day was unusually warm. The vampires were uncomfortable with the rising heat, but they weren't affected nearly as much as the humans were. Since summertime had arrived, the humans had a lot more outdoor work to do. Many of them got terrible burns and Carlisle was kept busy with cases of heat sickness.

Alice didn't mind the heat. As long as she had shoes to wear while walking on concrete or pavement, she almost welcomed it. Summer was a beautiful time of year. Now that she, Bella, and Esme no longer had to worry about being caught, she could stop and look around. She had a natural talent for gardens, so she was put in charge of them. A vegetable garden grew in the back yard that would supply the humans with food and there was a storage pantry behind the kitchen. Humming to herself, Alice plucked the ripe tomatoes from their tangled stems and placed them in a bright yellow bucket. Her pale blue dress moved with the soft, merciful breezes and her short hair had grown out, framing her heart-shaped face. She was unaware that she was being watched.

Jasper stood at the kitchen window. He'd been planning to ask Alice to get him a drink, but he got it himself. Strange...he knew she was young, but she acted so much older than her years. Maybe the years of running and hiding had done it to her.

A strange twinge tugged at the non-beating heart in his chest. He watched her, pondering some things.

The heart was more than just an organ that kept humans alive. Back in their time, the heart was symbolism for a lot of emotional things. A broken heart, for example, meant sadness, and a faint-hearted person was fearful. As vampires had evolved and begun to reproduce themselves, their hearts were merely a vestigial organ left over from evolution. There were circumstances that it would beat, but it didn't usually beat.

How odd that a heart no longer beating could be just as easily broken.

For some strange reason, Jasper felt drawn to her. He enjoyed her company probably much more than he should have and she was...comforting somehow. He remembered the night that she'd fallen asleep in the floor.

His thoughts slammed into a screeching halt when the sound of Edward's car pulling in reached his ears. Shaking his head, he quickly thought of something else.

The current assignment was really puzzling him in class. He had chosen to take Human Psychology as an elective. Were they truly that different? After all, humans were their genetic ancestors and current genetic cousins. He had not yet chosen a topic to do his paper over and would need to do so soon. Since when was he so easily distracted?

Edward swaggered into the kitchen. Though his eyes were a brilliant shade of gold, he reached for a glass of chilled blood nonetheless.

"I see you're feeling better," Jasper commented.

Edward nodded.

"I have no idea what happened. And whatever idiot said that being a teenager was the best time of your life deserves to be thrown off the nearest cliff, dismembered, and burned."

He took a deep swallow.

"If you want Bella to unpack your stuff, she's helping Alice out there in the garden," Jasper informed him.

At the mention of Bella, Edward frowned darkly.

"Did I say something?"

With the smear of blood on his upper lip and the moody expression, Edward looked more like a vampire in that moment than Jasper had ever seen him. It sometimes became easy to forget what they were only to be harshly reminded on occasion.

"Nah."

He licked away the bright red smudge.

"She makes me feel...weird sometimes. I get thirsty all the time when I'm around her."

Jasper couldn't help but be a little concerned. It wasn't unheard of, but it was unusual.

"So, how about the camping trip? Did you have a good time?" Jasper asked, changing the subject.

Edward nodded gratefully.

"Yes. It was like going to an all-you-can-eat-buffet. All the mountain lions and bears and wolves we could catch. Tanya wasn't bad, either."

The corner of his mouth quirked in a smirk. Jasper laughed.

"Before you ask, no, I did not do anything. Her dad would have chopped me into pieces. But she kissed me when he wasn't looking."

Jasper had turned in pretense of looking out the window. He mainly did it so that Edward couldn't see him rolling his eyes.

_He thinks he's such a lady-killer._

"I heard that."

Edward punched him playfully in the shoulder. It escalated into a play-fight, the boys nipping, lunging, and snarling at each other. There was no real aggression involved, only sport. Neither boy bit the other hard enough to do any damage. Of course, it didn't appear that way to anyone else.

"Oh, my God!"

Bella shrank back against the door, pushing Alice behind her. The bucket she was carrying thumped noisily onto the floor and a few vegetables toppled out. Alice screamed, stopping both of them where they were. For a moment, everyone was frozen.

"What's going on in here?"

Carlisle's voice cut through the hysteria. He saw Jasper pinning Edward to the floor. Suddenly, both boys burst out laughing. Edward fell to the floor with a resounding THUD! The blonde doctor shook his head disapprovingly.

"Don't worry, girls, they were only playing."

He nudged Edward in the side with his foot.

"Both of you get up and get ready for dinner. Our father's coming home to stay for a few days and I don't want him seeing this place in chaos. You know how he gets."

Alice and Bella went about two shades paler apiece and clung to each other tightly.

"Jane and Alec will also be here, so that means all of you are to be on your best behavior."

Edward and Jasper both groaned in unison.

"Oh...why Jane and Alec? We all hate each other," Edward objected.

Carlisle sighed.

"Frankly, I'm not fond of them, either, but they're still our half-siblings and we have to treat them well. Bella, Alice, go tell Esme and Melody to get dinner started. Father, Jane, and Alec all get Type A. I just brought some home. Make sure you don't get it mixed up with the animal blood because they'll be furious. Make sure you have clean dresses on and pin your hair back."

Everyone sprang into action. By dinnertime, the table had been set with the finest china and the house was perfectly spotless. Bella, Esme, Alice, and Melody all wore clean dresses with no stains or tears and they all had their pinned into buns. The blood was heating up as the rumble of a car engine made them all jump.

"Open the door," Carlisle sighed as a shadow moved up the stone path in the front.

A small dark-haired girl that looked around twelve came in first. She wore an all-black Victorian-style dress and looked around at the place as if it weren't good enough for her. She sneered at the line of human slaves. Her gaze settled on Bella and a dark smile crossed her lips. Bella suddenly fell to the ground and whimpered. Alice tried to help her up, but she was unable to support Bella with her small frame. Esme tried, but she couldn't figure out what was wrong.

"Weak little humans," came a singsong voice. A blonde-haired boy had appeared next to the girl. He looked to be about her age.

"All right, Jane, that's enough."

The voice was cold and oddly high-pitched compared to what they all expected. Bella stopped writhing and lay there gasping for a moment. Alice, Melody, and Esme eased her back on her feet, but she couldn't stop panting. They looked up at the being that they assumed was Aro.

Aro looked to be about an even six feet tall, but his long, lean frame made him seem taller. Instead of the suit clothes that Carlisle wore or the casual-yet stylish wardrobe of his sons, he wore plain dark pants and shoes and a white dress shirt. A black robe bearing the family crest on one side of the breast went over all of it. His dark hair brushed his shoulders and was as black as night. His eyes were a dark red and his jaw was sharp and angular. His skin looked strangely frail as if he had begun to age before his time and his eyes had a slightly frosty coating as if he'd begun to get cataracts. He radiated power nonetheless and Alice felt sick when that intense gaze turned upon her. His thin mouth frowned.

"They're a bit scrawny for humans. You're not letting them use it as an excuse, are you?"

"Of course not," Jasper said, "they all actually work very hard."

Aro looked around. One long, pale finger ran down the side of a nearby coffee table. There was not a speck of dust to be found.

"The place does seem to be in better order," Aro commented.

"I smell blood and I want it!" Alec demanded.

"Yes. Wouldn't want to tempt ourselves with the humans," Aro agreed. They all went into the kitchen. Aro gave a look of disgust at Carlisle's dish.

"Still drinking that awful animal blood? You're never going to be satisfied with it, Carlisle. It's in your nature, after all."

Carlisle pretended to ignore his father and continued to eat.

Pieces of the puzzle began to fall together in Esme's head. The power to read minds was probably genetic. Edward could read minds. Jasper couldn't, but he could read emotions. Carlisle was unusually good at diagnosing illness. Jane could make people hurt. She could see traces of Aro in the Cullen boys' faces. They had the same strong jaw, the same high cheekbones, and the same forehead. She was just wondering what Alec did when Bella fell to the floor with a THUMP!

"Alec," Aro said disapprovingly. The little boy laughed. Bella's eyes fluttered open and she went pale. Esme helped her up and took her to the kitchen.

"What happened?" she asked in as low of a whisper as she could manage.

"Everything just went black...it was horrible! I couldn't even feel my feet on the floor or my dress against my skin," Bella shuddered and buried her face in Esme's shoulder.

"It's going to be okay," she said, not terribly convinced of her own words, "they won't be here very long."

"Seconds!" Edward yelled from the dining room. Bella sighed and bravely made her way back out there. As she took his bowl, she could have sworn he sent her a look of sympathy. The expression was not lost on Aro, but he said nothing.

Aro was not as hard on the boys as some fathers were, but he didn't allow them to grow up believing they were allowed to do anything they wanted. Romantic relationships between vampires and humans weren't uncommon, but they were highly discouraged. He wasn't sure just how close of a bond that Edward had with the skinny, brown-haired girl, but he would find out soon. When Bella brought in more blood, he grabbed her wrist. She tried to move away, but his grip was too tight. Images flooded his mind as he sifted through her memories.

Bella hadn't taken too kindly to Edward...in fact, she nearly despised him. There were a lot of habits of his that she found annoying and she preferred to spend as little time in his company as she could. Satisfied that there was nothing going on, he released her and she almost sprinted back into the kitchen, breath catching. He hadn't really intended to scare her, but that was an unfortunate side effect of being who he was.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hope you all had a good Valentine's Day (or Singles Awareness Day). The current number on my reviews is 24. I would like that number to hit 30 before I add the next chapter. I'll be watching my inbox…the sooner you guys review, the sooner I'll post another chapter. I got a question for you guys: should Alice start having visions yet or should I do something else with her for now? I'll be waiting impatiently. 

Chapter 8.........Life Goes On

Aro himself didn't seem too terrible. As long as the girls got their work done, he was relatively indifferent to them. Jane and Alec, however, were a pain. Jane got Bella in trouble for dropping an expensive china dish when she pain-attacked her. Alec made Melody black out and tossed her into the empty fireplace. She was puzzled when she woke up streaked in soot. Alice went missing for an entire day and Jasper found her locked in a closet.

"CARLISLE!" He yelled.

Alice was laying in the floor, pale and shaking, her limbs drawn up close to her body. Carlisle entered the room as Jasper lay her on the couch. Every single time someone would touch her, she would scream bloody murder.

"What's going on down here? The first opportunity I get to sleep in months and-" Aro stopped short when he saw Alice. With his furious expression and strong presence, he looked like the Devil himself to Bella and Esme. Without missing a beat, he growled, a low sinister sound.

"Jane! Alec!"

The two giggling preteens came in.

"What did you do to the human?" he snapped.

"Aww, father, we were only playing with her," Jane commented, "she wasn't being a very good sport, either."

They sobered up quickly when they saw his expression.

"These humans are NOT your playthings. If I have to remind you again, you won't be coming here anymore. Up to your rooms for the rest of the day. Go."

The children glared at Esme, Bella, and Melody (who still had a smudge of black on her) before they stomped away. Aro groaned, rubbing his forehead.

"Take care of it," he mumbled to Carlisle, "I am going back to bed. I don't want to be disturbed again."

With that, he went back upstairs.

"Needless to say, he gets grumpy when he hasn't had his rest," Carlisle said, rubbing Alice's forehead, "he'll probably sleep all day, then he'll be better tomorrow. Being in the government is a stressful job."

Alice was still shaking and whimpering.

"I'm going to get you something for the pain," Carlisle told her, "you'll need to go to bed."

Jasper lifted her up as gently as he could, but she still screamed, her nails scratching against his skin. It didn't hurt to him, but he felt so much pity for her. He carried her to the servants' quarters as gently as he could and put her in her bed. Carlisle came in, gently tapping a syringe to get rid of the air bubbles.

"She should be feeling better in a couple of hours," he told them as he cleaned a spot on Alice's arm, "she'll be a little slow the rest of the day, but she won't have any lasting effects of what they did."

He injected a clear fluid into Alice's upper arm. She shuddered, but didn't scream.

"This should relax her muscles," he explained to them, "the problem is that Jane and Alex took turns attacking her. Her muscles are all cramping at once and they're all drawn too tightly. That's why she's shaking so much."

Alice's eyes began to slide closed and her rapid, shallow breathing began to slowly even out. Esme and Bella longed to take the girl into their arms and comfort her, but they were afraid that the slightest touch would make her cry out again. It horrified them all to see her in so much discomfort. Even Edward seemed unhappy with the situation. Melody went to go get cleaned up, sighing in frustration. They could hear her song over the sounds of the shower.

_"Oh, I'm just a girl,_

_my apologies,_

_what I've become is so burdensome..._

_I'm just a girl..._

_lucky me! Tweedle dum_

_there's no comparison..._

_Oh...I've had it up to..._

_oh....I've had it up to..._

_here!"_

The second day was worse than the first. Since Alec and Jane couldn't torture their slaves in the ways they wanted to, they resorted to another tactic entirely.

"Oops." It started with Jane dropping a glass of blood on purpose. Then, Jane and Alec went outside and wrestled around in the mud. Not only did they have to clean up the trail, but they had to clean up the bathrooms as well. They were on their hands and knees scrubbing for hours. Just as they had finished up that mess, the twins knocked over a bookshelf in the library. They had to put all the books back, which took a very long time due to the sheer size of the shelf. By the time dinner was served and the kitchen cleaned up, they were all exhausted. Esme flopped over onto her bed with a groan.

"I hate them," Bella snapped.

"Worse than Edward?" Alice asked.

"Much worse than Edward."

"Well, they're definitely not my favorite either," Esme sighed, "but we might as well try to get some sleep."

As fate would have it, the twins stayed up all night. Esme, Bella, and Alice slept in shifts. Poor Melody didn't bother; she got up each time someone yelled for something. By the time daybreak came, the four girls were exhausted out of their minds. This went on for nearly a week. They were more than happy to see Jane and Alec get in the car with Aro and leave.

"Thank you, God, peace and quiet!" Esme breathed. They finished cleaning up the kitchen. Esme and Bella were loading the dishwasher while Alice and Melody were wiping up.

"So, do you still hate me?" Edward asked coyly. Bella managed a small smile.

"Compared to them? Not as much."

Esme didn't see what Edward did, but Bella squeaked and smacked him in the face with a dish towel. It didn't hurt him, of course. He was laughing.

"Have fun. You're right back to being mine when I get home," he reminded her before returning the towel.

Esme wasn't sure, but she could have sworn that Bella's eyes sparkled though she did not smile.

"What happened in here?" Carlisle stood in the doorway, surprised. The papers that had spilled off of his desk were now put away neatly in the filing cabinets. Everything was very orderly and neat as a pin. The curtains had been drawn back to let in the sunlight. Esme was putting one last book onto the shelf.

"It's all taken care of," she said, climbing down off the step stool.

He gave her a grateful smile.

"You shouldn't have any trouble finding anything," she told him, "I hope I did everything right."

They didn't have much time to talk, however, because the patients started arriving. It was good to be back in the office with Carlisle after having dealt with Alec and Jane. She didn't even complain when one of the children threw up everywhere and she had to clean up after him.

"I'm sorry," he apologized to her.

His mother gave him a stern look.

"Tommy, what have I told you about talking to slaves?"

"But-" he protested.

The argument was useless. Tommy's mother, of course, won. Esme finished cleaning up and Carlisle took Tommy to the back. It appeared as though the boy had drank some tainted blood; it did happen on occasion. Esme was surprised that blood would go bad and not taste strange to them...she obviously had a lot to learn. He still didn't feel very well when Carlisle released him, but at least he would get better after a few hours. Tommy gave her a sad smile on the way out and waved, much to the irritation of his mother.

"He's so sweet," Esme commented.

"Yes, he is. I've taken care of Tommy since he was born," Carlisle said, "I was the one who delivered him. He was always so quiet...I was afraid he was stillborn until he gave me a love bite."

Esme chuckled.

"Go strip the beds and replace the sheets," he told her, "they're lining up at the gates today."

Most of the more minor things, Carlisle handled there at the house. On a couple of occasions, he sent people to the hospital. If there was surgery needed, he would put a sign on the gate that said "AT HOSPITAL". Esme usually stayed at the house, but today, she got to go with him. There was one vampire who was having some sort of a seizure. His jaws would lock together and he had trouble breathing. How he had driven himself to the Cullen house, Esme did not know. Carlisle had to drive, so it was her responsibility to keep his mouth open. It was a tricky job; his eyes went dark with thirst and he had to try really hard not to bite her. Venom started coating his teeth and he sent Esme an apologetic look before his eyes rolled back in his head. His whole body started to shake all over again and she squeezed his jaws, trying to keep him from choking on his own venom.

"We're here," Carlisle said, "I'll be right back."

She hoped so; her fingers were starting to burn from the venom.

They loaded him up on a stretcher and went to the emergency room; Esme was actually allowed to go. They did a brain scan on him and gave him medicine to stop the seizures.

"What's your name?" Carlisle asked as soon as he was conscious again.

"Laurent," the patient said weakly.

"How long has that been going on?"

"Just today. I didn't know what it was."

"You do realize that driving is dangerous when you have this condition?"

"I live alone. I don't have a mate or a coven. I had no choice."

"You won't be able to drive for about six months," Carlisle warned him, "we want to make sure this medication's going to work."

He gave Laurent a plastic bag full of small packets. They were about the size of a sugar packet.

"Mix one of these into your blood every morning. Make sure you don't miss or you might have another episode."

They left the hospital after Laurent was taken care of.

"I didn't know vampires could get epilepsy," Esme commented. She'd seen one of her classmates have a seizure as a child, but that was the extent of her knowledge.

"Yes. Vampires don't get ill quite as easily as humans do, but it happens. The reason is that our bodies still have a human base. Most vampires don't think about that, however."

It was a very long day. Esme would just get one thing done and another patient would come in. When it was time to close everything down, both of them were very tired.

"I may actually have to go to bed tonight," Carlisle commented.

Esme chuckled. Something about the way he'd said that amused her. She forgot sometimes that vampires didn't sleep every night. She looked at the clock on his desk and discovered that it was nearly midnight. Her stomach rumbled because she had missed dinner. Carlisle's rumbled in answer to hers.

"Let's go get something," he commented.

It was strange to be eating at the kitchen table with him. Esme made herself a sandwich while Carlisle heated up a small bottle of blood in the microwave.

"You did very well today," he told her, "if you were a vampire, I would hire you as a nurse."

Esme smiled.

"Thank you."

It was the nicest compliment she'd ever gotten.

"Tomorrow's Sunday," Carlisle commented, "I'm sure Melody will want to go to church. There's one just a block from here. You, Bella, and Alice are welcome to go with her if you want."

Esme nodded. Carlisle tossed the empty bottle in the garbage can.

"Goodnight, Esme."

"Goodnight," she answered, watching him walk away. A strange warmth filled her heart and she couldn't deny it. She'd watched him work all day, fascinated at how he always knew what to do and how calm he stayed in emergency situations. For one brief moment, she allowed herself to imagine those deft, nimble hands holding hers. She blushed furiously at the thought and shook her head. That would never happen. She finished eating her sandwich and went to bed.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A/N: All right! The reviews are finally picking up! That thrills me! Let's shoot for at least 40 reviews this time (although I will definitely take more! I want to write Rosalie in so bad and you guys are the only ones that can make it happen).

Things were as peaceful as could get around the Cullen household. As summer drew to a close, Alice found herself almost mournful that Jasper would be in classes again. He was very quiet when she was around, but she had begun to notice little things about him. She noticed, for instance, that there was a concert T-shirt that he'd worn so often that its black color had faded to a dark gray. She noticed that he would get a sad smile at the mention of parents. She noticed that his favorite glass to drink out of was a light blue one that had a handle on the side. She knew which types of blood he liked the best (wolf and lion) and the different expressions he got according to his mood. He had let it slip to her once that he could sense other people's emotions. They'd gotten on that subject one uncomfortably hot evening when the air conditioning had gone out. Esme and Bella were asleep in their beds and Carlisle and Edward were upstairs. Alice had gone out to the flower gardens and was laying in the hammock.

"You're in my spot."

Alice was so startled that she nearly flipped herself over. Jasper was standing right next to her and he hadn't made a sound as he'd approached. Seeing that he genuinely scared her, he apologetically placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to spook you. I forget just how quiet I am sometimes."

She breathed a sigh of relief and moved so that he could sit on the hammock if he wanted. It moved slightly under his added weight. Alice felt as though she was being pulled towards him.

"Nice night," he commented, "I just hate that it's so hot."

"I didn't think vampires had that problem," Alice commented.

"Oh, we do. It's just different. Since our hearts don't beat the way yours do, how warm it is affects how fast our blood flows. When it's too hot, it makes us restless. Even if our skin still feels cold."

To demonstrate his point, he brushed his fingers across her cheek. His hands were still cool. It gave Alice a pleasant shiver and she didn't feel quite so bad anymore. He looked to the stars, seeming to be lost in thought.

"I couldn't sleep either," he commented, "this is where I go at night."

Alice hadn't known that. She was surprised she didn't know that. As an afterthought, he added, "I usually wait until everyone else is busy at night. And you're asleep."

She nodded. Fireflies were dancing in the flowerbeds around them. Faster than she could blink, Jasper's hand shot out towards one. In one horrific moment, she was afraid that he'd killed it. Then, his marble-white fingers opened to reveal the firefly, unharmed, in the palm of his hand. Very carefully, he moved his cupped hand to hers and released the little thing. It stayed on Alice's hand for a moment before blinking a farewell to her and flying away.

"Pity that humans have to sleep," Jasper said, "nighttime is one of my favorite times. There's such a wild, untamed beauty about it."

She tried to stifle a yawn, but couldn't.

"Have you ever actually seen all of the garden?" he asked her. She shook her head; she hadn't had the time. They got up from the hammock. The stone pathways were pleasantly cool and smooth under her bare feet and a mercifully cool breeze came along and stirred her hair. The moon shone down on them both, casting a soft glow on Alice and making Jasper appear as though he was glowing. His vampire skin reflected its silvery light perfectly. Something about it made Alice's heart pound. He looked more vampire-like than she'd ever seen him, but it was mysterious and beautiful instead of frightening.

"These are the rose gardens," he said, "you should try to come out here when you have time in the morning. They're everywhere out here."

He plucked one off of a nearby bush and broke away the thorns. Then, he paused to tuck it into Alice's hair. She couldn't see what color it was in the dark. His gentle hands slid the stem into her dark locks, making sure it would stay. An unfamiliar feeling rose up inside of Alice, but it was mixed with fear. She knew he could feel it, but he wasn't giving anything away. Instead of commenting on her peculiar emotional state, he motioned for her to keep walking.

After they had seen the rest of the garden, they passed a splashing fountain and came back to the hammock.

"It's a beautiful garden," Alice commented.

"It was our mother's," Jasper said, "she loved flowers. Dad never understood it, but he made sure they were taken care of after she died. There's a part of him that still loves her to this day. The mate he has right now is named Sulpicia, but she's no Mom. Sulpicia was really spoiled as a child and Jane and Alec definitely take after her. Even though Dad and Sulpicia have been married a long time, they didn't have Jane and Alec. Jane and Alec are hers from another marriage."

Alice made a face.

"Vampire society is weird," she commented.

Jasper laughed.

"I think that a lot and I'm part of it," he said, "there are a lot of marriages of convenience. Dad and Sulpicia are one of them. I don't think they'd ever actually....have a child. It's political, you know. Kind of like our sister."

"You have a sister?"

"Yeah. You haven't met her. She doesn't live here. She's married to a guy named Emmett. Emmett's one of the regional governors. At first, he and Rosalie hated each other. Then, hate turned to love, at least on Emmett's end. He really has grown to care about her. Rosalie's a little bit slower, though. She still sees him as a friend with benefits."

Alice laughed.

"You'll probably meet them tomorrow. They said they're coming to visit eventually. I promise you it won't be as bad as Jane and Alec."

The two of them drifted into a thoughtful silence. Alice's eyes began to slide closed. She felt safe here with Jasper. The last thing she saw before she finally did drift off to sleep were the moon, the stars, the flowers, and the twinkling fireflies.

"Alice! Time to get up!"

Esme shook her sister awake. She protested, rolling over. Esme yanked the covers off of her head.

"Come on, Alice. You know the routine."

She sighed and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"That's better. Breakfast is going to be served in a few minutes. Be thankful I gave you that long."

Alice glared at her sister's retreating back. She'd been having the most wonderful dream.

Then, she noticed something laying in the floor. Very, very carefully, she picked it up. It was a rose blossom, blood red.

So...it hadn't been a dream.

Suddenly, getting up to face the day didn't seem like such a bad deal. The sun was beginning to rise and she sang to herself as she prepared Jasper's blood.

"What's with the song and dance this morning? That's usually Melody's job," Bella commented.

"Just...I don't know," Alice admitted, putting the blood into the microwave to heat.

"It's Jasper, isn't it? I saw that rose earlier," Esme said, "did he give that to you?"

She nodded, blushing furiously.

"ALICE!" Bella exploded.

"What?" she asked sheepishly.

"They're making us work our butts off for them and you're falling in LOVE with one? What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know!" Alice yelled, tears coming to her eyes. What would their parents have said? Suddenly, her great day wasn't so great.

Esme came over to her sister and wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

"We'll talk about this later. Don't cry; I promise you it's not that bad."

Not that bad? Was loving a vampire a sin or something? What was love, really? She had so many questions. Sighing, she wiped the tears away and took Jasper's blood out to the dining room. Of course, he noticed how upset she was.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Alice nodded and went back to the kitchen as quickly as she could. Before anyone else had a chance to think, however, there was a strange chaos outside. There weren't words to describe exactly what they had heard, but it sent them all rushing to the door. Esme was the first to open it.

"Oh my God..."

A squalling baby lay on the front step. It was still brand new: the stump of the cord had been tied off clumsily with a scrap of material. Whoever had left it hadn't even bothered to clean it up; it was still covered in pearly white vampire blood. Without even thinking, Esme snatched it up and ran back towards the others, who were coming into the hallway with confused expressions. Not knowing what to say, she surrendered the poor thing to Carlisle. Everyone's eyes grew big when they realized what she'd been holding.

"Did you see anyone outside?"

Carlisle barely spoke above a whisper, but his voice seemed abnormally loud in the nervous silence.

"No," Esme admitted, "but I heard a loud banging sound."

Carlisle shook his head in disgust.

"Whoever the mother was, she's been very foolish. She could risk infection without the right care. She's probably got a gaping hole in her body right now."

The mental image made them all ill. Without wasting any more time, Carlisle took the baby into the medical room. Forgetting breakfast entirely (which she hadn't eaten yet), Esme followed him. Carlisle cleaned the baby up first, then sealed his cord shut properly.

"He's not the first one that's been left here," Carlisle told Esme, sounding very angry, "this happens at least three or four times a month. I'm surprised we went so long without getting one."

The baby seemed to sense the tension in the air because he was crying harder.

"It was most likely an unwanted pregnancy," Carlisle muttered, wrapping him up in a pastel blue blanket, "stupid women..."

She listened to his rantings with a near fascination. It was the first time Esme had ever seen Carlisle truly angry. There had been times when he'd been frustrated or annoyed, but this was true anger. He handled the baby as gently as he could, but there was no disguising the irritation he had for his parents.

"Esme, take him. I have to report this before I take him to the hospital. Make sure he doesn't bite you or you'll risk getting venom."

He handed the baby to Esme and picked up the phone. While he was talking, Esme looked down at the tiny creature in her arms. Already, he had a tuft of dark hair on his oval-shaped head. She hugged him closer to her chest and began to rock him. His cries gradually ceased, but he seemed to look at her more in confusion than anything else. Esme didn't know very much about vampire babies, but she knew that they grew very quickly in comparison to human babies. She knew that vampire babies could start talking in a matter of weeks.

"A woman just came in this morning who had a bad stomach wound. I wouldn't be surprised if that was her," Carlisle commented, hanging the phone up with more force than was necessary.

"But..." Esme hugged the baby again.

"Trust me, she won't get him back. We have to do a DNA test," Carlisle told her, getting his jacket, "if she's guilty of abandoning him, we can press charges and the baby will be sent to a good home."

They didn't talk much as Carlisle drove. Esme suddenly felt scared for the wriggling infant in her arms. With each passing second, it became harder and harder to tolerate the idea of letting him go. By the time they reached the hospital, she was blinking back tears. The little vampire baby looked up into her brimming brown eyes and his little hand freed itself from the blanket. He made a whimpering sound and placed it on her thundering heart.

The cold sterility in the hospital made her shiver. The baby was no longer crying, but whimpering. His eyes were darkening, meaning that he was getting thirsty. He didn't cry when his blood was drawn, but looked up at Esme with the saddest eyes she'd ever seen on a baby. Then, Carlisle came in with a bottle full of blood. As soon as the baby smelled the blood, he snatched at the bottle with his little hands and sank his teeth into the top. With a little too much pleasure as the bottle "bled", he sucked down the blood. His eyes soon turned a brilliant ruby as he settled back into Esme's arms.

"The test was ninety-nine point five percent," one of the other doctors said, "we have a case. We'll keep the baby here for a while."

"All right. Come on, Esme."

When one of the nurses moved to take the baby out of her arms, it let loose a scream like nobody had ever heard. It took everything Esme had not to cry as she watched the little one being taken away. Carlisle sent her a sympathetic look. Once outside, the tears spilled over and she cried silently.

"He imprinted you," Carlisle commented, opening the car door for her. She got inside and wiped them away on the back of her hand.

"He did what?" she sniffed.

"He imprinted you. When a child loses its mother or somehow becomes separated from her, it finds the next closest thing to a mother in its environment and bonds with it. By staring into another woman's, or in some cases, another man's eyes, it causes the brain to release a huge flood of oxytocin. That's the hormone that's released during labor. Both genders have it, as it also causes bonding, love, and closeness."

As her tears began to dry, Esme started to think more coherently.

"Why do they do it?"

"Evolutionary, of course. Vampire babies have had to grow very quickly in the past to avoid being killed or injured. They also have to grow very quickly to keep from wandering out in the open. It helps them ensure that they're protected and provided for."

Esme shivered. It was hard to believe that something so tiny, so new, could actually manipulate her mind.

"I know that was very difficult for you and I'm sorry, but I couldn't risk it," Carlisle told her, "if we kept every stray vampire baby that showed up, we'd have a house _full_ of children. Come to think of it, we already do."

Esme laughed, remembering the day that Jasper and Edward were play-fighting.

"Will you keep me posted on how he's doing?" she asked, talking about the baby.

"Yes. I will."

They turned into the driveway. Esme noticed a bright red car that hadn't been there before.

"Oh, great," Carlisle sighed, "our sister's here. I hope she hasn't been giving them too hard of a time."

Instead of asking, Esme just got out of the car. She had a feeling she'd find out soon enough.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

A/N: Okay, you guys know the routine! 55 reviews is the magic number!

Bella scowled irritably. Edward had been following her around all morning and teasing her every move. She wished intensely that it wasn't a Saturday and was struggling not to throw something at him. Right now, she was standing on a step stool to dust all the portraits.

"Who are all these guys, anyway?" she couldn't help but asking. Edward opened his mouth to say something, but Bella moved wrong and slipped off the stool. She expected to fall to the cold, tiled floor, but a pair of equally cold arms caught her. When she opened her eyes, her face was only a hair's width from Edward's. He could hear her heart thundering from the surge of adrenaline she'd just gotten. Embarrassed, her cheeks flamed red and her heavenly scent filled the air around him. He couldn't resist any longer. At first, his lips brushed against her fair neck. The pulsing vein beneath made him shiver slightly, but he willed himself away from it. The last thing he wanted was for her to die. Instead, his mouth moved to the other place he wanted to taste: her lips.

She was frozen in fear at first, unsure of what to do. The strangest feeling engulfed her and her cheeks burned brighter. Edward's hand moved over her hot cheek, soothing it with his icy hand. With the other arm, he pulled her closer.

"Edward! Get your butt down here! Rosalie and Emmett are here!" Jasper's voice called. Edward cursed under his breath, breaking the kiss but not his grip on Bella. He was going in for another kiss when Jasper's voice came from just around the corner.

"NOW!"

Sighing, he released the stunned girl and left her there. Bella sank down to the cold floor, feeling feverish. What had just _happened_?

The hard reality began to rush back to her. She'd had her first kiss, not with a human boy, but a vampire. She'd had the kiss with a being she'd been taught to fear and dislike simply because they ruled over humans.

And....she liked it.

What would their parents have said? Suddenly very flustered and embarrassed, she vowed she would not ever tell anyone. She only hoped it was easier to hide it than it seemed right now. Gathering her courage, she got up to go face the new members of the family.

Esme, Alice, and Melody were unloading the trunk of the car. One paltry bag belonged to Emmett, the rest belonged to Rosalie. Emmett was a big, burly vampire, tall and broad-shouldered with dark hair. He had the expression of someone who smiles all the time. Standing beside him was a petite blonde vampire with every hair perfectly in place and an intense stare. Her heart-shaped face was perfectly make-upped and the clothes and jewelry she wore looked very expensive. Though her hair was blonde, she had Aro's face structure and his mannerisms. Esme vaguely wondered if blonde hair was a dominant gene in vampire families. It seemed that nearly all of Aro's children were blonde.

The suitcases must have weighed fifty pounds apiece. They were all staggering underneath the weight. Climbing the stairs to the guest room was definitely a challenge.

"How long did they say they were staying?" Bella grunted.

"A week," Esme grunted back, "one would think they're moving in permanently."

With a sigh of relief, they heaved the suitcases onto the table at the foot of the bed. There were at least six or seven suitcases. They were all filled with expensive clothes, jewelry, makeup, and so forth. All of those things had to be unpacked and put away.

As soon as that was done, it was time for lunch. Emmett also drank animal blood, but Rosalie considered that beneath her. She wanted only the best AB negative blood and that was the hardest kind to find. It was also the most expensive. The slave girls had all heard Carlisle muttering about how much time it had taken to find it yesterday. Melody served Rosalie and received a cuff in the stomach for not being fast enough. Melody seemed to have no reaction and walked away rubbing the spot.

"Honestly, Carlisle, why do you keep her? She's clearly incompetent!" Rosalie sniffed.

Carlisle didn't answer.

"You there! Go get more and be quick about it!" Rosalie demanded, pointing at Bella. Bella could swear that Edward sent her an apologetic look. She received the bowl thrust into her hands in silence and dashed back to the kitchen. When she came back out, she was again griped out for not being fast enough. Edward shook his head, thinking she was the most annoying person on earth next to Jane and Alec. He caught Bella's gaze and one corner of his mouth tugged upward. Despite her vow not to smile back, Bella found that it was contagious. It seemed that he was remembering their kiss earlier. Bella felt her cheeks flame again and his smirk got bigger. Emmett seemed to figure out what was going on immediately and chuckled to himself. Rosalie, not liking to be left in the dark, scowled. Bella went back to the kitchen. Melody had made pizza. She gratefully grabbed a slice, devouring it quickly. Rosalie was a pain, but she wasn't quite as bad as Jane and Alec. At LEAST there was only one of her.

While she was loading the dishwasher, she heard Rosalie barking at Melody for something else. A resounding thud told her that Melody would definitely be hurting tonight. She felt so bad for Melody; she'd begun to think of her as another sister.

Two arms ensnared her, making her almost drop a glass. She shakily put it on the counter.

"I wish you'd stop that!" Bella snapped, trying to wrench away from him.

"No, you don't."

Edward's voice came out in a silky growl.

"You didn't think I'd forget that easily, did you?"

"Let me go!" Bella surged forward, but his arms held her too firmly. He pinned her back against his ribs.

"You can't lie to me. You felt something. Admit it."

His breath came out in a sweet, cool cloud against her ear. She wondered how anything that drank blood for a living could smell this good.

"Let me go," she demanded, sounding more shaky than she wanted to.

"Fine."

He released her so abruptly that she nearly fell over.

"You don't know what you're missing."

With that, he left the kitchen. Bella stared after him, eyes wide in shock. When Esme and Alice came back in, she continued loading the dishwasher, trying to pretend that nothing was wrong. It was tougher than she thought.

Edward sighed, stomping upstairs to his room. He needed a cold shower. No, he needed more than that. He needed to stay away from Bella as much as he possibly could. Just being around her made his blood boil. He needed to find something else to do. Whipping out his cell phone, he called Tanya. Maybe she'd be up for another camping trip. Maybe more...

"Yes. Yes, I understand. No, I suppose I could manage it for a few days...." Carlisle was on the phone. Esme was cleaning up after he'd changed some dressings on a bite wound. The patient had already gone. She was nearly done when he hung the phone up.

"Esme? I need your help with something. Something big."

She tossed the soiled bandages in the garbage and straightened up.

"You remember that baby you found this morning? The hospital staff's overwhelmed right now; they don't have time to take care of him, which means we'll have to keep him until the court date. Can you handle that?"

Esme clamped both hands to her mouth to keep from yelling in excitement. Instead, she just nodded. Carlisle smiled warmly.

"I need you to stay here. There will be someone here shortly with supplies for him. I'm going to go pick him up."

She nodded, heart thundering. Even though the child was definitely not hers, she was ecstatic to get that baby back. Carlisle left and Esme took the opportunity to jump up and down excitedly. She didn't even mind when Rosalie spent the next half hour griping out all the slaves. She wanted her hair fixed, so Esme had the tedious job of washing, conditioning, and straightening her hair. Rosalie didn't complain as much with her because Esme had gotten accustomed to brushing out Alice's and Bella's hair and had a gentle touch. Rosalie finally grew bored with griping out the slaves and decided to go shopping. Emmett seemed relieved to have her gone.

"You know, I love her more than anything," he commented, sinking into a cushy leather couch, "but she is _extremely_ high maintenance. I have to work two jobs just to support her habits. She doesn't realize it, but I usually sell the outfits that she doesn't wear."

Jasper and Edward laughed and high-fived him.

"Enough about clothes," Emmett said, "let's go hunting."

"We just had lunch," Edward protested.

"We can always drain the blood and save it for later," Emmett said, "we have a cooler and some storage bags in the trunk. Rosalie always wonders why I like animals better. I think they're more exciting. Humans are too slow for me."

The three guys got up and left. Shortly afterwards, the doorbell rang again. Esme put down the dusting rag she held and ran to get it.

"I believe your master called for some childcare supplies," a gruff-sounding vampire said, "sign here."

Esme scribbled her signature onto the tablet. He seemed vaguely surprised that she could write, but motioned for the slaves to bring the things in. Apparently, Carlisle had told everyone where everything was supposed to go. They were done in less than five minutes and left. Since the child wasn't supposed to stay here for very long, the crib had been moved into the servants' quarters, as had everything else.

"What's going on?" Bella asked.

Esme filled her and Alice in on the details of Carlisle's phone conversation. Shortly after she'd finished her story, she heard the engine of Carlisle's car. Esme opened the door. Carlisle's back was to her and he was bent over. When he'd retrieved the baby from the car seat, he carried him up the porch stairs.

"Watch out," Carlisle warned Esme, "he's a little cranky. He's in a bad mood because we woke him from his nap. One of the other nurses named him Adam."

Adam made a noise and waved his little fists in the air. Then, he saw Esme and smiled, holding his little arms out to her. She took him from Carlisle and hugged him tightly.

"He seems so much older," Esme said in awe, "do they really grow that fast?"

"Yes, they do," Carlisle said, shutting the car door, "he's about the size of a six-month old human baby right now. He'll slow down in a couple of weeks."

Adam was still very fussy, but he seemed happier in Esme's arms. She took him inside. His eyes had gotten dark again, which meant it was time to feed him.

"You heat his up just like ours," Carlisle explained, "then you put the top on. Vampire bottles are different than human bottles. They're made of a rubbery material that allows the babies to bite a hole in them. When they stop sucking, the edges seal back together. It's so that there's less temptation for them to bite humans. It's an instinctual thing."

Esme nodded as Carlisle screwed the top onto the bottle.

"Now, watch."

He held the bottle a few inches away from Adam. Adam smelled the blood and turned the direction of the bottle. A strange high-pitched growl filled his throat and he lunged his upper body forward towards the bottle. He pulled it out of Carlisle's hand and snapped his little teeth into the bottle. There were just two on his upper jaw, but they seemed extremely sharp. Esme went pale, surprised that a baby could behave so viciously. Content that his "kill" would not get away, he settled back against Esme's arm, sucking on the bottle.

"You've never been around vampire babies before now, have you?" Carlisle asked. Esme shook her head.

"I know it's probably a little shocking, some of the differences, but you'll get used to it. We're not all monsters, you know."

She nodded, knowing it was true. How could anyone as wonderful as Carlisle be a monster?

"Well, there's another patient here to see me," Carlisle told her, "I think I can handle this one by myself. It looks as though Adam's due for a nap."

Sure enough, the little vampire had finished off his bottle and it was now dangling loosely from his tiny marble hands. His ruby eyes were beginning to drift closed. Esme noticed that they were a little bit lighter than they had been at the hospital.

"It takes about two weeks for their eyes to change color if they drink animal blood," Carlisle explained to her. She nodded again, carefully wiping away the drops of blood on Adam's mouth. Carefully shifting him so she could stand up, she rested him against her shoulder. He made a few little noises as she massaged his back. After he burped, she began to hum to him. It was an old song that their mother had once sung to them as a lullaby.

_"Baby mine, don't you cry  
Baby mine, dry your eyes  
Rest your head close to my heart  
Never to part, baby of mine..."_

Esme was unaware of Carlisle watching her from the doorway. Adam yawned and stretched his little hands out before closing his eyes.

_  
"Little one when you play  
Don't you mind what you say__  
__Let those eyes sparkle and shine  
Never a tear, baby of mine..."_

Adam's breath began to slow and deepen. Esme's cheek brushed against Adam's. It was strange how hard vampire skin was, and yet how soft his baby skin still was. His little mouth was still open slightly, a strangely sweet breath moving in and out. It smelled like cherry candy to Esme.

_  
"If they knew sweet little you  
They'd end up loving you too  
All those same people who scold you  
What they'd give just for  
The right to hold you"_

As soon as she was sure Adam was completely asleep, she carefully lowered him into the crib and smoothed the covers over him. She also clipped the baby monitor to the side of the crib. The cream-white blanket contrasted sharply with the sky-blue pajamas he wore. She stood beside the crib, watching his little chest rise and fall gently with each breath.

_  
"From your head to your toes  
You're not much, goodness knows  
But you're so precious to me  
Cute as can be, baby of mine......."_

Before she turned her head, Carlisle moved away from the door. The reality of the situation struck him suddenly: Esme was only seventeen. She was much too young to be a mother, and yet she was very good at it. He remembered her mentioning having to care for her sisters after their parents had been taken. The slave-age had caused all of the girls to mature much faster than they should have. Would they ever become mothers themselves? He shook those thoughts away as he prepared the expectant mother for her baby scan.

A/N: Because I've gotten so MANY reviews in one day, I decided to put another chapter on here today. :) Keep it up!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

A/N: Sorry I took so long to update—I've had classes, church activities, homework, and all kinds of stuff keeping me busy this past month. I promise you all that I haven't forgotten you—it always made me feel good to open my inbox and find it flooded with reviews. I also had a nasty case of writer's block and didn't want to write again until I felt I could do the story some justice. I had to lay some groundwork for the next chapter, so I promise a longer one is coming up.

The day was cold and rainy. Sweet, sultry summer had faded into fall. It had rained quite a bit, unusual for the season, but the leaves were extremely bright. The house was quiet. Carlisle had no patients in the overnight room and he was sitting at his computer typing busily as Esme was putting files away in the cabinet. Once in a while, he would glance up, then return to his work. Adam was babbling to one of his toys in his playpen.

"Carlisle?"

Esme's voice sounded abnormally loud though the rain was beating against the glass. He paused in his relentless pecking and looked up.

"I heard Edward talking yesterday. Is it true that you've found a foster family for Adam?"

Carlisle's stomach felt as though it was dropping to his knees. He'd forgotten about that. He now had the same sick feeling he'd had this morning when he found out about it.

"Afraid so," he admitted, "the courts just called this morning."

Esme put away the folder she'd been holding, the disbelieving look clouding her features.

"Does he really have to go?" she asked. He could hear the tears long before they began to well to the surface.

"He does. Even though his needs would be very well provided for here, the courts won't grant us custody. I'm not around enough for their liking, Jasper doesn't yet have a job, and Edward is too young. They won't grant you custody because you're a human."

The tears began to flow down Esme's face though she struggled to keep her composure.

"That's so unfair," she choked out, "I've been taking care of him for almost two months. And I know I'm doing it right. Why won't they let me keep him?"

Carlisle sighed deeply.

"They don't think its proper for a vampire to be raised by humans. They're somehow afraid that you'll make him forget what he is. Not to mention, when he gets older, he might smell the blood and get the temptation to bite you. Then, they consider issues like money, housing, and so forth. Technically, you don't have a home or a paying job."

Esme tried to recompose herself, but more tears leaked out. She turned her back to him and stared outside at the cold rain. Carlisle rose from his desk. Slave or no slave, he didn't like to see her upset.

"I'm sorry, Esme. If it were up to me, I'd have let you sign the papers in a heartbeat. I think you're a great mother."

He wrapped one arm around her shoulders. Despite his cold touch, she accepted his gesture of comfort. Within a few seconds, he had pulled her into a full-fledged hug and she buried her face in his shoulder. He could feel her hot tears through his shirt and something inside of him ached terribly. With her caramel-colored curls just millimeters from his nose, he couldn't help but smell her intoxicating scent. It wasn't the smell of blood, but just...her. He could smell all the various cleaning products she'd used as well as baby powder and bubble bath from Adam. But underneath all that, there was a distinctly sweet smell that was unlike any other smell he'd ever inhaled. His own words echoed in his head: _I think you're a great mother..._

One bite and the issue would be resolved. Out of his own defensive state against her feelings being hurt, Carlisle's teeth coated with venom. His face inched closer to her neck...

"Carlisle, you have a customer," Edward said, opening the door abruptly. He paused in surprise and confusion when he saw Esme in his big brother's arms. Carlisle released her quickly.

"Prepare a bed," he told her, following Edward out. Before he closed the door, he sent her an apologetic look and mouthed _I'm sorry_.

Esme sighed and did as he asked. After she did, she picked Adam up and hugged him tightly to her chest.

"Ez...me."

He kissed her on the cheek, which made her nearly come unglued again. This was definitely going to be difficult.

The door opened again and a rather voluptuous red-haired vampire came in. She looked down her nose at Esme and made a face at the fact that Esme was holding a vampire baby.

"You let it in your office?" she sniffed.

"Her name is Esme," Carlisle said firmly. He retrieved her chart and sat down at his desk. The woman sat down in the chair, her short black skirt inching up on her thighs. The shirt she wore was so low-cut that her breasts nearly spilled out. Esme rolled her eyes while she had her head turned.

"So, what can I do for you, Mrs. Ashlyn?"

The woman leaned closer over the desk.

"I'm due for my gynecology exam."

"All right. Go on into the back. There's a gown waiting on the bed for you."

She strutted across the room in heels that could pass as lethal weapons. Carlisle gave her back a look of annoyance and shook his head. Esme put Adam down and clapped both hands over her mouth to stifle the laughter that threatened to come out.

It was obvious that Ashlyn was more than happy to show off everything. When Carlisle came in, she hadn't bothered to put on the gown. Instead, she'd stripped herself naked and was waiting in the most erotic pose she could think of. Esme's attempts not to laugh were taking even more effort.

"Why don't you put the gown on? It seems a bit cold in here," Carlisle suggested, turning his head and not looking. Ashlyn seemed to pout as she slid the linen gown over her form.

A few more incidents later, Carlisle was obviously tired of her slutty behavior. When she made some comment about herself, he sighed and put the instruments down.

"Ashlyn, I am not here to play games. Either you lay down on that table and behave yourself or you can find another doctor," he said firmly. Taken aback, Ashlyn did as he said. Esme was having a hard time getting the image out of her head when Ashlyn had attempted to wrap her legs around him. It had only been a few seconds earlier. Her face flushed and she burned with anger. Carlisle was purely professional about the exam and seemed more than grateful when it was over. After Ashlyn dressed and walked out, she sneered at Esme.

"Boy, she's a piece of work," Esme commented, "why do you put up with that?"

Carlisle rolled his eyes and peeled his gloves off.

"Because her father works with my father. Thankfully, my father doesn't want me anywhere near her except for medical purposes only."

Esme stripped the bed.

"She's definitely not what I would want in a mate," Carlisle said, writing something down on her chart, "she's too wild. I'd be worried about her cheating on me. Not to mention that she has the personality of a snake."

Esme's laughter filled the room. Carlisle was chuckling as well.

"So...what are you looking for?"

His laughter subsided.

"Well..."

The air in the room seemed abnormally heavy. Carlisle took the sheets out of Esme's hands and tossed them into the clothes basket.

"I think I found it."

Just as he was leaning in towards her, a slamming sound was heard upstairs. Afraid that something bad had happened, they went tearing upstairs.

_Fifteen minutes earlier..._

Wondering how on earth creatures that didn't sweat and had good enough reflexes to avoid spills could go through so many clothes, Bella was gathering up Edwards. She realized that he probably had one more set in the bathroom. As luck would have it, she heard the shower running.

Sighing, she decided it would be faster just to snatch the clothes and get out. But Edward had probably sensed her coming.

Just as she had picked them up and was headed out the door, Edward stepped out and toweled himself off lazily. With his coppery wet hair framing his face and gleaming marble body, he looked like a figure straight out of Greek mythology.

"Like what you see?"

His grin seemed so evil. Bella flushed deep red and bolted towards the door. She hadn't meant for this to happen. Her heart sounded as though it were beating in her ears. She was going to get into so much trouble!

Before she could reach for the knob, Edward had blocked her. Thankfully, he had wrapped his towel around his waist.

"What's your hurry?"

Bella frowned, going from severely embarrassed to annoyed.

"Let me out."

He crossed his arms over his chest. Sighing, she tried to go around him one way, but he stepped sideways and stayed in front of her. When she tried to go the other way, he did the same thing.

"Come on, Edward, Alice is putting the laundry in and I need to get these downsta--"

She was startled when he leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't the first time, God only knew. Heaven help her, she wanted him to kiss her more and more every time he did it! It wasn't until she felt weaker from lack of oxygen that he broke the kiss.

"Cut that out! Do you want us both to get in trouble!"

She shoved him out of the way and opened the door. Edward's smirk had not faded.

"Maybe I do."

He crushed his lips against hers again. She may as well have been kissing a statue, at least that's what she told herself. But there was something too lifelike....

Suddenly, a loud BANG! interrupted them. Jane and Alec toppled into the room, not realizing that the door had actually been open a crack. Both of them grinned at each other, knowing full well that they'd caught their step-brother in a very compromising situation.

"Wait until we tell father," Jane said, a dreamy tone to her voice. Giggling, she and Alec took off down the stairs. The smirk had finally faded from Edward's features. Suddenly frightened, Bella began to shake.

"Thanks a lot!" she yelped, taking off down the stairs. Why was it that every time she kissed him willingly that something bad happened?

"Bella, wait!" Edward protested. He would have chased after her if he'd been dressed. Shaking his head, he closed the door and headed for his closet.

"Nonsense," Aro had said dismissively when the twins had come running to him with the news.

"Honest," Jane whined, "just touch him."

"No more. I just want peace," Aro told them, "the two of you are always trying to cause trouble over here. Go take a walk or something."

He pressed the button on the reclining chair and adjusted it. Once it was perfect, he changed the TV channel and took a deep drink out of the glass he was holding. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the slave girls scamper away like a frightened mouse. He frowned slightly. He knew they were all afraid of him, but why was she acting so strange?

Dismissing it as coincidence, he went back to zoning out and letting his mind drift.

"So, Dad didn't believe them?"

Edward had cornered Bella in the kitchen shortly before dinner was to be served.

"No."

He looked all around as if afraid someone was out to get him.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Bella nearly dropped the bowl she was holding.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I really don't know what's wrong with me. It's like you're a drug or something."

Bella put the bowl down on the counter.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" she asked indignantly.

Edward sighed impatiently.

"I meant it in a good way," he hissed, "like you're intoxicating."

Not wanting to risk another close call, Edward stomped out. Bella was more confused than ever.

She wasn't the only one. As they served the family dinner, she noticed Esme's downcast face and wondered what was going on.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry about the wait. You name it, it happened, but here's the new chapter. I hope you guys didn't give up on me.

Chapter 12......Heart to Heart Conversations

"Can I talk to you?"

Esme's brown eyes didn't leave the counter she was wiping down. Melody was singing to herself as usual, scrubbing out the pots and pans used to make the humans dinner. Bella and Alice were sitting at the small round table eating their own dinner.

"We're not done cleaning up yet," Esme said dully.

"Please," Carlisle said in a strained voice.

"What about your father? And Jane and Alec?"

"Father doesn't want to be disturbed, so he's not likely to be listening in. As for Jane and Alec, they'll be going to bed soon. "

"How would you know?" Esme asked suspiciously.

A grin found its way through his serious face.

"Being a vampire doctor has its advantages," Carlisle said, his topaz eyes twinkling.

Esme frowned.

"You didn't."

"Oh, yes, I did. I drugged their blood. They'll be out for at least eight hours."

Esme flung a dishtowel at him, but she was giggling.

"Meet me in the garden in an hour. I want to make sure it worked."

She nodded and continued with the cleanup. Melody took Bella and Alice's plates and forks and put them in the dishwasher. Bella and Alice helped dry off the pots and pans and put them away.

"What's going on?" Bella finally asked.

"I could ask you the same thing. When you came tearing down the stairs, I thought something awful had happened," Esme retorted.

Bella flushed bright red.

"Edward...kissed me."

Esme didn't smile, but she got an amused look in her eyes.

"This isn't the first time, is it?"

"No."

"So, tell me what happened."

Bella's face was getting redder by the moment.

"I went to get his clothes out of the bathroom and he got out of the shower before I could escape. I saw him naked and he kissed me."

Esme really didn't know what to say. It was times like these that she really missed Mom and Dad. Charlie and Renee wouldn't have liked that at all, but at least they would have been able to tell her what to do.

"Is that it?"

"Yeah. He's acting so strange...one day, he can't kiss me enough, the next, he completely ignores me. And he drinks five times as much as anybody else...he gets thirsty really fast. I don't know why."

"Maybe you should ask Carlisle," Esme suggested, "I'm pretty sure he already knows something's wrong with Edward."

Bella shrugged.

"Couldn't you do it? You know him better than I do."

Esme sighed, adding that to her mental list.

"All right."

"So, what's with you and Carlisle, anyway? You've been acting funny, too."

"Well, I'm not sure. I think I might be in the same boat as you."

Bella smiled.

"You like him?"

"Yes."

Both of them turned to Alice, who looked at the floor.

"All right, all right! Me, too. But nothing ever happened with Jasper. He hasn't kissed me yet. We talked in the garden one night when I couldn't sleep."

All at once, the three of them started laughing.

"We're all in so much trouble," Esme sighed, "I think we've fallen head over heels for a family of vampires."

Melody started dancing around in circles with her broom. Despite her mental incapacitations, she knew exactly what they were saying and winked at them all before dancing out of the room.

It was difficult to wait for another half hour. Esme found little things to do in order to occupy her time. Once satisfied that she could find nothing more to do, she glanced up at the clock and found that it was time. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her dress and went outside.

The garden was absolutely beautiful at night. Carlisle was sitting on a nearby bench. He hadn't yet seen her, and he was sitting so still that he could have passed for one of the statues. As she neared him, he came to life again and turned his head in her direction. The moonlight reflected off of his beautiful skin and highlighted his features. It made his hair look as soft as silk. He looked so...unreal. She could understand why vampires could easily entrance humans in the old legends and myths.

"I'm glad you came."

She settled onto the bench beside him.

"You could have just ordered me to come," she reminded him. There was a slight bite in her voice and Carlisle involuntarily winced.

"Yes, I could have, but I didn't want to."

"Why?" she asked.

He stared up at the moon for a moment. It was barely a sliver tonight, mimicking a smile with the way it was tilted.

"Esme, I don't see you as a slave. You're much more than that. You realize that, don't you?"

She had a strange dark feeling about what he was about to say.

"You deserve much better than a slave's life. If I told you that there was a way to make you a vampire, would you do it?"

Esme suddenly heard her heartbeat thundering in her ears. She wondered if it sounded as loud to Carlisle.

"It wouldn't be easy," he admitted, "I have to go through a lot of paperwork and you have to pass a number of tests, both physical and mental. And then, there's the actual change itself..."

"Why?" Esme asked.

"Well, they want to make sure that your body can handle it and..."

"No, why would you want to change me into a vampire?"

"Because..."

He hesitated. She had never seen Carlisle at a loss for words.

"Esme, you did a wonderful job with Adam. I've dated at least half a dozen women this year and none of them would make good mothers, let alone as good as you. You're intelligent, you're funny, you're easy to talk to, and you care about other people. Father wants me married soon and I don't want any of the girls he's chosen for me to date. I want you."

Esme's mouth fell open in shock. This was very....unexpected.

"What does he think about this?" Esme asked when she could speak again.

"He doesn't know yet," Carlisle admitted, "I'd rather he not find out until the paperwork and so forth is finalized."

Esme frowned. It was a dangerous secret.

"But that doesn't matter right now," he sighed, "I need to know what you think."

Esme was secretly overjoyed. She never thought she'd have a chance to be married or even be with a man. She always thought it would be just her, her parents, and her sisters forever, always running. No more fear of the vampires biting her or draining her, no more being looked down upon...

"What about Alice and Bella?"

Carlisle frowned.

"Well, it would be considerably harder to convince the Council to let three newborns stay in one house," he admitted, "but I would be willing to have them changed as well. There would be a mandatory period of two years where I'd have to wait to have them changed and it would have to be one at a time every two years."

It was a lot to think about. Esme stared at the flowers and the trickling fountain nearby, wishing she could say yes immediately, but she knew she had to ask Alice and Bella.

"I don't want an answer tonight," Carlisle said, reading her thoughts, "I want you to think about this and talk to your sisters. My father's getting ready to travel overseas and he'll be gone for a while. It would be ideal to do it then because he can't stop us. And Jane and Alec won't be around to bother us. I've even tossed around the idea of changing Melody."

"Why?"

"Because she was separated from her mate. His parents didn't approve of him seeing a human. Melody wasn't born the way she is. I've CAT scanned her and she's got brain damage that couldn't have been present at birth or she wouldn't have survived outside the womb."

"That's awful," Esme said sadly.

So much was going through her brain that she was feeling very overwhelmed.

"Why don't you just go to bed? It's getting late anyway," Carlisle told her, "and I know it's a lot to process."

Esme nodded. She was going to get up, but Carlisle's arm snaked around her shoulder. She nestled into the cool shelter and his cool lips pressed against her forehead. Her face flushed brightly and she felt, rather than saw, Carlisle's grin.

"What about Adam?" Esme couldn't help but ask.

"If you want to get him out of foster care when you're out of your newborn stage, you can adopt him."

It made Esme dizzy. Her head was spinning with these new possibilities. Carlisle's closeness was making her heart thunder and she knew he could, more than likely, hear it. She was feeling things that she'd never felt before. Her skin was still tingling where he had kissed her on the forehead.

"Why don't you go in and get some rest?" he suggested, moving to get up. She took this cue as the conversation was over. She waited until he was out of sight, then went tearing into the house to find Bella and Alice.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

A/N: Short chapter, I know. Shame on me. But finals are coming up and I've been busy with classes and stuff. I'm just here to tell all of you that I'm not giving up, I'm just struggling for time.

"He said WHAT?"

Bella nearly dropped the glass she was holding. Alice could only stare at her in shock.

"He would transform us if we wanted," Esme told them, "that would mean no more constantly being in danger, no more fear of being separated, no more sickness, no more slavery."

The two girls looked at each other, then at their sister.

"How do you know it's not just an excuse to kill you?" Bella asked.

"I don't think Carlisle's that way. Besides, why bother telling us we'd be vampires? Why not just sneak up on us and drain us?"

She had a good point.

"So...if we do this, we have to be in this together," Esme told them, "and I know it's a tough decision, but we could all be happy this way."

She didn't tell them the risks. That was for another time and another place.

"Just think about it," she said.

Bella was thinking about her sister as she took Edward a midnight snack. He was working on something for school. What would being a vampire be like? She'd heard from somewhere that the change was terrible and it felt as though a person's body was being consumed by flames. But with all that she'd been feeling towards Edward lately, it seemed to be a similar torture.

Edward was busy at his desk. He was pecking at his computer furiously. Several books lay out in front of him. At first, she hoped that he just wouldn't notice her, but as she started to walk away, she was pulled backwards.

Bella let out a shriek when she landed in Edward's lap. He had turned the desk chair so that she wouldn't bang into the desk.

"That was fast," he commented.

Bella was trying to get up, but his arms effortlessly pinned her in place. She again found herself victim to a rather forceful kiss. Just when she thought her lips were going to get bruised, it softened and she melted like butter. His grip on her also loosened a little, now resembling an embrace rather than a wrestling move. Bella's heart began to pound. Remembering that she had to breathe, Edward pulled back for a second. Bella's face was flushed hotly. Not wanting him to see that, she instinctively hid her face against his shoulder. He could feel the heat through his shirt and it made him smile.

"So, are you going to take my brother up on his offer?" Edward asked.

Bella couldn't even try to choke out an answer. Despite all they'd gone through, the answer was definitely tempting. Instead, she took in another breath and glanced at his computer screen.

"What are you working on?" she asked.

"Paper that's due tomorrow."

"How long have you had?"

"A month."

"Why didn't you--"

"What are you? My mother?"

His irritated expression softened a little when he remembered that Bella hadn't really had a chance to go to school.

"I've had better things to do."

Bella didn't push it again. That had scared her for just a minute.

"Time for a break anyway."

Edward stood up as easily as if Bella's weight was next to nothing. He carried her over to the window seat. She sank into the cushions. Until now, she hadn't noticed that oldies rock and roll was playing on the nearby stereo.

"I didn't know you liked the Beatles."

Edward was surprised that she recognized them.

"That was back when music was really music," he said, sitting down beside her, "I saw them in concert once, a long time before you were even born."

"You're really that old?" Bella asked.

"Yep. All of us are. Of course, Carlisle's way older than that."

She went silent, listening to the music for a moment.

"Does being a vampire mean that you'll live forever?" Bella asked.

"Not necessarily. We have health issues, too, just different ones. The most common way to die is during birth, or if you tick the Volturi off. I don't really know all the specifics. You'd have to ask my brother. Certain things make us age faster, like bad blood or emotional stress."

"So, were you born or created?" she asked.

"Both, actually."

"Both?"

Bella was confused.

"Our mom was actually human when Dad met her. He'd never let this secret out to anybody, though. That's why we all look more like her and there's not really a lot of Dad in our appearance. It was right around the time that vampires started plotting to take over the world. She originally started dating him because our family was broke. One night, Dad promised her a better life if she'd marry him. Then, he bit her. We were all still in bed and he came and bit us all. But if the rest of the world knew about that, he could lose his job."

Bella was surprised.

"So...what about the change?" she asked.

Edward settled back into the cushions.

"I don't remember it as much as Carlisle does," he said, "I just remember this tingle in my neck, then I felt like there was fire all over. Your vision blurs out and you're helpless for about three weeks. You wake up and everything's so clear and bright. You hear things you've never been able to hear. You get reflexes so good that you can jump off of skyscrapers and not be hurt. You can run so fast that the rest of the world just seems to stop. It's really taxing at first and you have to feed almost every hour until your body adjusts to the change."

Glancing at the clock, he sighed.

"Go to bed. I have to get back to work."

Was there ever going to be an end to the confusion? Bella moved back down the stairs. First, Edward was like a tiger, constantly grabbing her and kissing her and making her feel things she didn't understand. Then, he had just let her in on the biggest family secret that the family had. She realized that Edward's family could be put in serious trouble if she ever decided to tell. They could be freed...but then again, they could be resold and not get as lucky.

She realized what an enormous responsibility such a secret was. She decided just to be honored with the fact that he'd trusted her with such information. Maybe he really did love her in some strange, sick way.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

A/N: Ookay…after having done such a tiny chapter last time, this one's a bit more substantial. Those who are Edward/Bella fans should get a smile here.

"How much longer are these forms? I've already answered every question on there I could think of," Esme commented.

"Not much longer," Carlisle told her, "I have to run some tests on you. The rest of these papers are for me to fill out."

Esme drew a deep breath.

She, Bella, and Alice had discussed Carlisle's offer. Alice and Bella weren't sure whether or not that they wanted to be vampires. They didn't begrudge Esme the chance to become one, although they certainly didn't have warm feelings toward vampire societies in general. It had taken many sleepless nights and many prayers for them to come to this conclusion. Even if Bella and Alice didn't change, Esme could keep the girls in her name and they'd never have to risk being sold again. Carlisle had been extremely patient and hadn't pressed Esme for a decision at all.

He had been happy with Esme's decision and agreed to handle all the legal stuff for her. It was a very long, drawn-out process for him as well. He had only just obtained the forms yesterday and they'd been working on them between patients. Tonight when office hours were over, Carlisle could use his lab equipment to run the tests.

"All right. How much do needles bother you?" he asked.

"A little," she admitted.

"It won't be that bad, I promise. I have to prick your finger to see what blood type you are."

He cleaned off her finger with an alcohol wipe, then gently pricked it. Esme winced, but it wasn't as bad as she expected. He squeezed her finger onto four different spots on a little plastic tray. After he mixed different chemicals with them, some of them clumped.

"You are a type B negative."

He wrote that down on the paper.

"Doesn't my blood bother you?" she asked.

"Not really. We've all been drinking animal blood for so long that I've gotten used to the smell," Carlisle said.

That made her feel better for some strange reason.

"I'll need to draw a vial to make sure that your body systems are working right. We'll also need to do MRI's and so forth to see inside your body."

Many, many tests later, Carlisle had written down all the results.

"You're in pretty good health," he said, "but the council has to see that."

Esme was exhausted.

"Go to bed. You've done really, really well."

"How long will it take for the results to come back?"

"A while. I'll let you know. It could take anywhere from two weeks to two months."

She nodded. He sealed the papers into an envelope and placed them in one of the desk drawers.

"I'll take these in tomorrow," Carlisle promised her. She nodded and left.

"Give me a kiss, Edward," Tanya demanded.

Edward turned his head away and she placed her hands on her hips.

"What's the matter with you? You used to love to kiss me!"

"Something's changed," he responded irritably.

"I'll say! Every since you got that little slave girl of yours, you've been acting like a fool! Tell me something, Edward! Is she as good in bed as I am? Or do you sleep with every little tramp that comes along?"

"It takes one to know one," he answered curtly.

The resounding smack that Tanya gave him vibrated through the air. Edward pounced on her.

"I don't like to hit women," he snapped, "but I'll be damned before I let you get away with that crap!"

Tanya hissed and snapped her teeth into his shoulder. Her venom pumped into his blood, but not before he got her back. The wound stung, but Edward was running on adrenaline. If there was enough adrenaline, it could counteract the paralyzing effects.

He hurled her against the wall with enough force to kill a human. It only stunned her, however, and he ran away.

"You'll pay for this, Edward!" she hissed.

But he didn't hear her. He was running back home. His body was beginning to betray him and he needed to know he was safe. He wasn't afraid, just annoyed.

He staggered into Carlisle's office. The older vampire was still there.

"Edward, are you all right?"

"Tanya bit me," Edward muttered, "she was mad at me because she got jealous of Bella."

Carlisle couldn't suppress a grin.

"So, what else happened?"

"She hit me and I got her back. I'm not one to hit a woman usually, but something about the way she said it just ticked me off."

"Well, I don't blame you."

The venom finally ate away at the adrenaline and Edward fell forward. Carlisle scooped him up.

"Would you like to stay in your own bed tonight?" the older vampire asked.

"Yes."

Carlisle carried Edward up the stairs, right past Bella.

"What happened to him?" Bella asked, a note of concern in her voice.

"Oh, he'll be fine. He's just gotten into a fight is all. Go downstairs and warm some blood. Get the drinking kind. He needs the venom to get flushed out of his system."

Bella turned and ran.

Edward couldn't help but grin.

"Should I tell her that the fight was about her?" he asked Carlisle.

"Only if she asks," Carlisle said, laying him down on the bed, "otherwise, you'll come up as very stuck-up. Not that you need any help."

The two brothers laughed.

"You're just lucky I'm frozen," Edward teased, "otherwise, you'd be flying across the room right now."

"I'd like to see you try," Carlisle shot back, "I'll be up later to check on you."

Bella's hands were shaking slightly as she walked upstairs with the bottle of steaming blood. She figured it would be easier for Edward to drink it this way. Despite Carlisle's assurances to her that Edward would be fine, she was still a little worried, much to her chagrin.

"Oh, look, room service," Edward joked. Bella propped him up on another pillow so that he wouldn't choke.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Oh, I said something that a friend of mine didn't particularly like. Apparently, vampire women are a force to be reckoned with."

He drank about half of the bottle's contents before stopping for a breath.

"What did you say to her?" Bella asked.

"She was running her mouth off about someone I cared for. When I defended this person, she slapped me, so we got into a fight. Then, she bit me."

Bella tried to figure out who this mysterious person was. Even though he couldn't read her mind, he still picked up on her expression. When she saw the look he was giving her, she flushed almost as bright red as the contents in the bottle.

_Thank God I'm paralyzed..._

The smell was overwhelming. Although the Cullens had gotten used to smelling human blood, Bella's called to him. The smell was wonderfully spicy to him.

"I'll go get a refill," she said hurriedly, dashing out the door. Edward stifled a laugh when her shoulder banged into the doorjamb. The poor thing was a disaster waiting to happen.

Bella's thoughts were a blur as she stumbled down the staircase.

_He got in a fight because of me...against another girl...a girl he could have just slept with...why? Why me?_

She came back upstairs with the bottle. Edward was still weakened by the venom, but at least the feeling was coming back into his limbs. Instinctively, his hands closed over hers as he drank.

Despite the fact that Edward's hands were freezing, Bella was grateful for his touch. His hands were shaking a little, but that would pass. It was still strange to be touched by a vampire...it was like living marble.

Edward, on the other hand, was cherishing the warmth from Bella's hands. He hadn't felt a warm touch in years. To him, her hands were hot. Something about the differences between their lives was a strange turn-on. As she lowered the bottle, he brushed his lips against her hands. She placed the bottle aside and he tugged at her gently. She seemed uneasy until he smiled.

"Don't worry," he said, sounding just little injured, "I can't move very good. You're the safest you'll ever be right now."

She sat down beside him. He took her hands, tracing the lines in her palms. He saw a couple of scars and wondered what all she'd gone through before her life here. With a touch so feather-light that she wondered if it had happened, he kissed them. It was such a tender gesture that her heart almost ached.

"I would do it again," he said, looking up at her with golden eyes, "if it meant you wouldn't be hurt anymore."

Bella swallowed hard. She wanted so much to believe that _someone _could protect her. She wasn't afraid to defend herself or to be alone, but she was tired of not being able to trust. She was tired of running all the time. Even if she didn't need to flee physically, she felt like she was always running away mentally.

"What are you thinking about?" his silken voice asked.

"Everything."

It was the absolute truth.

"I can read every mind on earth except yours...you have no idea how crazy that makes me."

"Now you know how I feel," she said.

He slid his hand along her cheek, lowering her head towards his. Instead of the usually rushed, fire-hot, lustful kisses that he gave her, it was slow, careful, and considerate.

"I know about Carlisle's offer," he said, "and I hope that you, Esme, and Alice will stick around if he changes her."

Bella's dark eyes were full of uncertainty. He decided to let that subject go.

"I think I'm going to sleep the rest of this venom off," he said, stretching slightly, "you look tired. You should go get some rest, too."

Without being asked, Bella pulled his covers up around him and retrieved the bottle. He was already starting to close his eyes. She kissed him on the forehead and took the bottle downstairs.

It was a side of Edward she'd never seen before...

...and she had to admit, if it was real, she wanted it to stick around.

The crickets were chirping all around her. She hacked at yet another weed and tossed it aside.

"Hey, hon. Isn't it a little dark for weeding a garden?"

Alice looked up. Jasper stood on the opposite side of the small vegetable patch.

"Oh, I'll be done shortly. I just wanted to get it done. They'll choke off all the tomatoes if I don't take care of it now."

She started to get another weed, but he had moved beside her. His hands made hers go still.

"Something's making you nervous," he commented.

"No..."

"You don't have to lie, Alice. I can sense it. You can tell me."

She let go of the partially pulled weed. He tugged it out himself and tossed it into the nearby bucket.

She sighed. Opening up wasn't particularly her strong point.

"I'm just concerned about my sister, that's it. I know that she wants to become a vampire, but I'd be horrified if anything happened to her. For so long, it's just been the three of us."

Jasper's hands held hers.

"Carlisle's a good doctor," he said, "I'm sure he won't let anything happen to Esme. He loves her."

"How would you know?" Alice asked, somewhat defensive.

"Well, I can feel it. He'd do anything for her. Edward would do anything for Bella as well."

She looked into his golden eyes, which were illuminated from the dim light of the back porch. Her dark eyes begged the question from his.

"...And I would do anything for you."

She looked down at her hands.

"Why don't you act the way they do?" she couldn't help but ask.

Jasper raised her chin with one finger.

"Well, you're still a little young. Times have changed, yes, but I don't want you to feel like you've got to be with me just because we're the only ones left. If you decide you want to be with me, I want it to be because you really do want me."

Alice's confusion struck a chord inside his non-beating heart.

"I know you don't understand now, but you will."

She watched him get up.

"But wait!"

He turned, brushing a stray strand of hair out of his face.

"How will I know?" she asked.

Jasper's lips squeezed together, a sign that he was troubled.

"I can't answer that one," he admitted, "you'll have to make that decision on your own."

"What do you think about me?" she couldn't help but ask.

"I think you've had to grow up entirely too fast because of the world around you," he said, exhaling slowly, "but you're doing a pretty good job."

She wrapped her arms around his thin waist. His strong arms embraced her and she inhaled his wonderful scent. He had an almost minty smell about him. Never had she felt so safe...if there was a Heaven, it was there in his arms. If there was a God, He had looked at Jasper and said that there could never be another one as wonderful of him.

"Don't worry," Jasper told her, "things will work themselves out. Just give it time."

Time. Time always seemed to be the answer, but it took _so_ long...

"I know," he said, sensing her frustration, "it's a pain. It's easy for me to say that because I've been around longer. I bet I can make you feel better, though."

Before Alice could ask, she suddenly felt bathed in peace and calmness. A slight touch of euphoria rose up in it. It was almost an intoxicating feeling.

"Oh..."

Jasper looked slightly embarrassed.

"I think I overdid it," he admitted, ashamed, "I just don't like to feel you hurting."

Before she could say anything, she yanked him towards her and pressed her lips to his. Jasper tried to pull away.

_Oh...this can't be happening! I have to stop her! I have to..._

But it was too late. His protesting thoughts couldn't force him to pull away. Although he did not kiss her back, he hadn't been able to resist her very well.

She giggled and walked away.

"Crap," he muttered under his breath.

Alice began to hum to herself as she got ready for bed.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Don't be afraid. I'm going to be fine," Esme told her concerned sisters. She looked small in the tent-like hospital gown that she wore. An IV pump was hooked up to one hand and Carlisle was placing the chart at the end of the bed. The paperwork to make Esme a vampire had gone through a couple of days ago. She would be staying at the hospital for monitoring just to ensure that something wouldn't go wrong.

"But we won't get to see you for so long..." Alice lamented, fighting back tears.

"Oh, honey, it's not going to be forever. Three weeks will go by just like that. You'll just have to find something to keep you occupied."

She hugged her younger sister. Bella and Alice sat on either side of her on the bed.

"It's not going to be the same without you," Bella sighed.

"You'll be alright," Esme assured her, "Alice and you have each other. Now, I want you both to promise me that you'll work together."

"We will."

"I love you both and I'll see you when I wake up, all right?"

Carlisle poked his head in the door.

"Do you three have any questions?" he asked.

"How long will this take?" Bella asked.

"It depends," Carlisle admitted, "it used to take about three weeks. But we have medications to speed up the metabolism of the venom. The shortest recorded time is about three days."

Three days sounded much better than three weeks.

"Okay, girls. I have to ask you to leave," Carlisle told them. They weren't willing to go, but he insisted. Edward and Jasper were waiting in the hallway. After they left, they were all going out to eat at a place that sold human food as well as blood. Bella and Alice insisted that they weren't hungry, but they hadn't eaten much last night and they hadn't had any breakfast. Other vampires would sense their weakness and be tempted if they didn't eat something.

"Bye, Esme," they both said in unison. She gave them a smile even though she was every bit as afraid as they were.

The room seemed cold and sterile, almost threatening with the cold white tile and equipment surrounding the bed.

"Nervous?" Carlisle asked her.

"Yes," she admitted.

"The first thing I'm going to do is inject some pain medication. It works a little differently for everyone, but hopefully you won't feel the full force of the venom. Unfortunately, it might make you feel a little drunk."

"At this point, it would be a blessing," Esme admitted.

Carlisle gave her a faint smile as he prepared the needle. She watched him inject it into her IV line. Within minutes, she felt pleasantly intoxicated and relaxed.

"You weren't kidding," she slurred. Her eyes were getting a slightly glazed look. She was still a bit nervous, but it was no longer relevant. It was buried beneath the strange artificial peace that the medicine flooded her with.

Carlisle seemed slightly concerned, his thumbs rubbing small circles into the backs of her hands.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

She gazed into his beautiful golden eyes.

"Yes."

He swept her up in a passionate kiss.

"I trust you," she whispered in his ear.

"In a moment," he responded.

He kissed her again, deeply this time. His lips gradually moved to her neck. Heat flooded Esme's blood. She couldn't imagine it being better than this. Then, quite suddenly....

A sharp pain got her attention. At first, she didn't really register that Carlisle had bitten her until she felt the venom pulsing into her blood. The burning increased into her throat and she fell backwards. Carlisle caught her and swung her around so that she was laying completely on the bed. He pulled the rails up so that she wouldn't fall off. Then, he took both her wrists and bit into them. It left a crescent-shaped mark that trickled a little bit of blood. Stunned, she watched a green droplet fall from it. Carlisle also bit the insides of her ankles. The stinging began to take over her body until she felt feverish. He almost looked like he wanted to cry. Then, he pulled down the front of her hospital gown and injected a needle into her heart. She could tell by the color that the needle was filled with venom as well.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, voice thick with emotion, "but it will be over soon."

Esme's eyes rolled back into her head as her body began to spasm and jerk from the venom. She opened her mouth, but couldn't make a sound. She would have been screaming if she'd had the capacity to do so.

Carlisle disposed of the needle and pulled the covers over her. He had bandaged up the bites so that she wouldn't get an infection while waiting for the venom to take effect. An uncomfortable pricking sensation came to his eyes. If he'd had tears, he probably would have shed them.

_I've been selfish,_ he thought miserably, _Esme's suffering because of me. I said all those things, yes, and her sisters probably will be better off if this works out...but I wanted her so much and I couldn't think of anything else. I can't believe I did that. I deserve God's lightning bolt right through my unbeating heart for this. If they ever forgive me, it will be too soon._

There was nothing more that could be done, at least for now. He checked to make sure that his cell phone and pager were on before leaving.

Alice and Bella were eating hamburgers, French fries, and shakes. Jasper and Edward had two orders of mountain lion each.

"We saved you some," Jasper said, sliding the bottles across the table to him.

Carlisle drank it, but he barely tasted it. He was very quiet all the way home.

"Is he going to be all right?" Alice asked Jasper.

"He'll be fine. He just feels a little guilty right now," Jasper said. Carlisle had retreated to his office.

"He feels bad for putting all of you through this. He's kind of wondering if he did the right thing," Edward elaborated.

"Well, I was kind of mad at first," Alice admitted, "but it's Esme's body. We can't be mad at them for that. She knew what she was doing."

"I just hope she has the shorter transformation," Bella said, "it's weird not having her around already."

Later, Jasper wandered about the house restlessly. He had some assignments to finish for school, but he couldn't concentrate. He was full of feelings that were distinctly not his and he was sure that they were coming from two major sources.

Just as he came down the stairs, Carlisle stepped through the front door. He looked (and felt) mentally exhausted.

"How is she?" Jasper asked.

Carlisle sighed and closed the door behind him.

"Same as we expected...she's stopped moving. She's lost the strength. It's worse to see her just lay there because I know she still hurts."

"Let me help you with these," Jasper said, gesturing to the grocery bags Carlisle was carrying. Carlisle, of course, didn't really need help, but it would give them an excuse to talk. He gave Jasper the ghost of a smile. Jasper felt the hint of gratitude Carlisle felt. They were a close family and he was glad.

"Talk to me," Jasper said, taking things out of the bags and putting them in the refrigerators. Carlisle took the food for the girls and put it in their cabinet.

"It's just so hard...I used to think we were doing humans a favor when we turned them. Maybe we are...but they have to go through so much to get there. I used to watch them lay helpless on that table, knowing that an untrustworthy orderly or nurse could easily come in and kill them, but I'd think it was worth the risk. It's saved humans with cancer and AIDS before because those diseases can't hurt vampires. Dad thought I was insane because I had such an interest in human biology. But life is life no matter what..."

Jasper recalled a time when Carlisle had managed to snare a rat in the kitchen as a child. Instead of crushing the creature between his cold, hard fingers, he had carried it outside and let it go. Aro had been somewhat disgusted with him, but didn't voice that opinion. Their mother, however, had smiled and told him what a compassionate boy he was.

"Yeah," Jasper agreed.

"I feel like I might have pressured Esme a little too much," Carlisle admitted, "all I could think about was that _she_ was the one I wanted. She's so unlike these high-society women who want the most expensive blood and diamonds and rubies. She's Rosalie's polar opposite. She wouldn't hurt anyone. But I guess I was so afraid of the idea that something could happen to her...the last few times Jane and Alec were home, I was scared they'd hurt the girls."

"Tell me about it," Jasper said, "I get afraid for Alice because she's so little. And young."

"They've been here for a little over a year," Carlisle told him, "Alice was almost fourteen when she came here, and she's fifteen now. There's not as much of an age gap as you think."

_Five years,_ Jasper thought, _I forgot she's a little older than she looks. That's not as bad as it could be..._

"Would you have her changed if you had the choice?" Carlisle asked.

"It's up to her," Jasper said.

Edward came into the kitchen.

"Carlisle, stop feeling guilty," he said carelessly, "I can hear it all the way upstairs."

"But.."

"Listen to me," Edward said, grabbing his brother by the shoulders, "she wanted it. It's done. It's over. It's too late now. She's going to be fine, I'm sure. The guilt is contagious and you're making the other two feel weird. You need to be strong for them."

He nodded slowly and went to go answer the ringing phone.

"Good job," Jasper told his brother.

"Thanks. I just can't take all that," Edward said, making a face, "do you know how hard it is to practice the piano with his guilt interrupting every other note?"

Jasper laughed.

_One down, one to go._

He found Alice sitting on her bed. She was looking at Esme's empty bed.

"I miss her, too," Jasper said, sitting down next to her.

"I know it's not for forever," Alice said glumly, "but we've never ever been apart before."

Jasper wrapped his arm around her.

"I know it's hard, honey. Sometimes I really miss our mother."

"Was she blonde like you?" she asked.

"She was pretty fair-haired. Our biological dad had more brunette hair. Out of all of us, Carlisle looks the most like her. Edward favors Dad more. Aro's not our birth dad, but he pretty much raised us."

Alice nodded.

"He seems like he's tired of kids."

"Only Jane and Alec," Jasper said, "they drive him crazy nonstop. Their first prank on him was to put laxative in his blood. Once he could stay out of the bathroom for more than five minutes, he chased them all _over_ the house. Then, he locked them in the cellar."

"For how long?" Alice asked.

"Oh, about twelve hours. Just enough for them to get thirsty. He told them if they tried a stunt like that, they'd be taken to the Federal Jail. They haven't done it again."

Alice chuckled.

"Being a vampire would definitely be great--they could pick on someone their own size for a change."

Alice suddenly slumped forward. Jasper seized her and pulled her back onto the bed. Her eyes glazed over for a second.

"Alice?!" Jasper asked sharply.

It took a few minutes for her to come around. Just before Jasper could yell for Carlisle, she "woke up".

"What happened?" he asked.

"I...."

She rubbed her forehead

"Boy, that was weird. Everything went dark for a second. Then, I saw Esme holding Adam...she looks so different..."

Jasper's eyes got big.

"What did she look like?" he asked.

"She was wearing a dress that Carlisle got her," she said, "it was a really soft pale yellow. Her skin was sparkling in the sun. Adam was older, too, and he had on black pants and a red and white striped shirt."

"Oh..."

Jasper seemed to know something she didn't.

"What?" Alice asked.

"You have a latent power," Jasper said, "it's really, really rare for humans to show powers before they're changed, but the stronger the power is before a change, the stronger it is afterward."

"I can see the future?" Alice asked.

"Possibly."

"Wow..."

"Let's go for a walk. I haven't shown you the rose gardens yet and it seems like we're always too busy to go there."

Once outside, the golden setting sun caused Jasper to glitter like a diamond. His skin glowed brilliantly, throwing rainbow sparkles everywhere. It was beautiful. Alice wondered why she'd never noticed that before.

He seemed to fit right in among the roses. His pale, glowing skin contrasted sharply with the bright yellow and red roses.

"This is like a fairy-tale," Alice breathed.

She inhaled deeply. The smell of the roses was a heady, almost intoxicating scent. Years from now, she would remember the gardens. It seemed like all her best moments with Jasper happened here.

The moment was somewhat wrecked when her stomach rumbled.

"Hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Let's go get our stuff and have a picnic out here."

Moments later, Alice had a sandwich and an apple and Jasper had a bottle of wolf's blood.

"Doesn't it ever stress you out, feeling everything that everyone else does?" she asked.

"It did at first," he admitted, "but you learn to separate your emotions from everyone else's."

"What about that thing you did the other night?"

He winced, knowing that would come up sooner or later.

"I was just trying to calm you down. I got a little carried away," he admitted.

"Can you make others feel what you feel?"

Embarrassed, he nodded.

"Only if it's really strong," he muttered.

"So, you love me?"

The sun hovered on the brink of the horizon and it was as though the entire world held its breath.

"Yes."

He was surprised when she was the one that kissed him. He could tell she'd never kissed anyone else because she was somewhat clumsy. It was impassioned, nevertheless, and he found himself responding eagerly. He was slow and careful, teaching her gradually.

Carlisle watched them from his window and smiled. Hopefully, they would all breathe easier soon.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

A/N: Thank God my writer's block is over! YAY! I love it when I have things planned out two or three chapters in advance.

The first thing she felt when she awoke was...strange. The hot venom was running near the end of its course. She could feel the pain fading from her fingers and toes and the burning slowed into a smoldering heat. Her heart was thumping and racing very quickly: she could hear the heart monitor going so far off the charts that it sounded like a hum instead of a beat. It was a race between her dying heart and her dying flames. She tried to open her eyes, but she couldn't. Not yet. She was still paralyzed.

Her heart was thundering so hard that it felt like it would explode any second. Then, quite suddenly, it gave its last beat. The monitor flat-lined.

"You made it," an awestruck voice whispered.

The venom had dulled to a soft warmth in her veins and was rapidly dispelling.

"Carlisle?" Esme asked weakly.

"I'm here," he whispered.

She willed herself to open her eyes. When she did, the sights around her were almost dizzying. Everything was in such vivid detail and clarity that it almost blinded her at first.

Carlisle's face appeared above hers, lifting her head off of the pillow. He cradled it gently against his chest. Bits of information popped up into her head from her newly found vampire instincts: he was approximately three-hundred something years old, he'd not been in very many fights, he was in good health, and he'd had lion's blood for breakfast. The animal blood gave him an unusual smell: he smelled like a mixture of freshly fallen rain and some unknown spice. It was wonderful smell nonetheless.

"I feel so weak..." she mumbled, cautiously testing her arms and hands, "and my throat's on fire..."

"That's the thirst," he explained, "you'll feel better once you've drank. I'll go get you something."

She didn't want him to leave, but she knew he'd be back sooner if she let him go. He carried a steaming bottle.

"It may not be the best," he explained, "but it will help. I brought you antelope blood because it's not as rich."

He was right. Esme made a face. It was just _bland. _It was only a step up from mud. However, she couldn't be ungrateful and reminded herself that there were many worse things in the world. Besides, the burning in her throat and the emptiness in her stomach reminded her that she needed it. She finished off the bottle and felt her strength quickly returning.

"I'll get you some carnivorous blood later," Carlisle told her, "it tastes a lot better."

She nodded.

"Let me help you up. Do you feel strong enough to walk?"

"Yeah."

Her first few steps were shaky, but the grace of the vampire came soon after. She noticed that tiles didn't feel nearly as cold as they had before. In fact, she was much more comfortable in this room than she had been initially. Carlisle took out the IV drip and took her hand gently.

She was also surprised that _he_ felt warmer and softer to her. His skin no longer felt so icy and hard.

"How are the girls doing?"

She stopped, stunned. Her voice sounded so..._different_.

"It takes some getting used to," Carlisle commented, "and they're handling this better than we have."

She chuckled, laughter like chimes echoing through the halls.

"What were you nervous for? You're the doctor," she teased.

"I'm also the one who missed you," he reminded her.

She turned to look at him. He hadn't been sleeping well; she could tell that much. Despite having had his blood this morning, his eyes were more of a cinnamon color, indicating stress.

"Well, you can stop worrying. Clearly, I'm not going anywhere now."

He smiled. She leaned in to kiss him.

"Ahem," Jasper coughed.

"Bella! Alice!"

They both grunted when Esme hugged them.

"Sorry," she apologized, wincing, "newborn vampire strength. Want to try again?"

They hugged her again.

"I thought you were supposed to have golden eyes," Alice commented.

"They'll turn later on," Carlisle told her, "it's the animal blood that changes the color."

"Oh, okay."

"Can we go home yet?" Esme asked.

"Yes. Just let me sign you out."

He went to retrieve the paperwork and to let her get dressed.

"What was it like?" Bella asked.

"I'm not going to lie," she said, "it was tough. But you wake up and you don't remember it quite as much. In fact, all my human memories seem kind of dim..."

"Does that mean you'll forget everything?" Bella asked.

"No. It just means that everything seems so...vivid. It's like I was walking around half-blind and half-deaf compared to this."

Carlisle came back.

"Ready to go?"

Esme looked down at her slave dress. It was going to look a little odd with her walking around in one of these.

"Don't worry," he told her, "we'll get you something else to wear."

The first place that they went was a nearby clothes shop. The girls stared with big eyes at the things that they had never worn in their lives.

A bored-looking sales woman approached them. Upon seeing Esme and the girls, she looked down her nose at them.

"We don't serve humans here," she said, giving Alice and Bella Looks.

Esme felt a rise of indignation bubbling up inside her. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I believe the sign outside said you just got a shipment of new human clothes inside," Carlisle said coolly, "and my fiancée would like some things as well. Would you like to take care of that or should we just go see your manager?"

The woman stomped off in a huff and returned with a tape measure. She measured Alice and Bella first and scribbled the measurements down on a clipboard. Then, she measured Esme and wrote hers on a separate list. She disappeared into the back.

A different saleswoman approached them after that. She was a blonde-haired woman with green eyes and a very heavy Southern accent.

"Oh, don't mind Kestral. She's been in a bad mood ever since her husband shacked up with one of their slaves. We can get the new robes for your girls in just a minute. In the meantime, why don't you come in the back with me?"

Esme reluctantly followed her. Carlisle gave her an encouraging smile just before she disappeared into the dressing room.

"We'll start with the underwear first. I have you down as a size four. Why don't you pick out some things?"

Esme had no earthly clue where to begin. Never in her life had she seen this many colors...there were pretty things of silk and lace and soft, plain cotton things. She smiled to herself. Her mother had always said that she'd find her some nice things if she ever got married and they would do their shopping together.

After those things had been squared away and Esme had been put into some soft lacy black undies and a matching bra, it was time to pick out regular clothes. She had never worn clothes that were form-fitting, so it seemed a little strange to step into the tight jeans. The sales woman brought her a purple sleeveless top to go over it. Even in the merciless fluorescent lights and the three-way mirror, no one could deny that she looked amazing. The look was topped off by a pair of black heels.

When Esme started to walk off, the saleslady stopped her.

"Oh, honey, you've never been shopping in your life, have you? Your hot doctor friend out there said to give you enough to fill a closet. Anything in particular you have in mind?"

Esme studied the racks of clothes with some hesitation. She felt strange spending Carlisle's money.

Then, her eyes fell on a strapless black dress. The saleswoman grinned.

"Good choice! The only thing he'll be thinking about when he sees you is the fastest way to get it off!"

If Esme would have been human, she would have blushed deeply. It began to sank in that Carlisle really was going to be hers and it nearly made her dizzy.

About an hour later, several large shopping bags were piled up on the counter. Carlisle signed for the credit card without a second thought and carried all the bags out to the car.

"I don't know why it's against the law to dress humans nicely," the saleslady commented, "I have the cutest little turquoise dress that would flatter that one."

She gestured to Alice.

"We'll probably be back," Carlisle said, closing the trunk on the car.

It seemed strange to sit up front. She couldn't get used to all the new feelings and sensations.

"I had the girls help me redecorate while you were gone," Carlisle told her, "so that your room would be ready."

"My room?" Esme asked, puzzled.

"Yeah. You didn't think you'd have to sleep next to the kitchen for forever, did you?"

He looked guiltily at Alice and Bella.

"I've been trying to get Dad to let me fix that room up since we moved in," he admitted, "but he's still a little rigid on the social rules concerning humans. If you want to, you can stay with Esme unless he visits."

Running up and down the stairs seemed to be a very rigorous task, even when one was in good shape. Now, it seemed effortless and Esme discovered that even the heels didn't slow her down. She followed Carlisle down the hall.

"Close your eyes," he said. She did, and allowed Bella and Alice to guide her into the room.

"All right. Open them."

The room was done in shades of purple and gold. The shirt she wore almost matched the covers on the bed. The honey gold tones brought out the gold and red in her hair. The entire place was bright and airy. The bed was covered in soft pillows and looked large enough to fit at least three or four people. Serene paintings adorned the walls. It was a simple room, but a very nice one. The room also connected to a bathroom, which was already stocked with soap, toothpaste, and other stuff she would need. The tub was an old-fashioned clawfoot tub and she could sink in up to her neck if she wanted.

"It's beautiful," she commented.

Bella and Alice grinned at each other. Esme went to the window and opened it. A soft breeze billowed in, causing the sheer curtains to float and dance. Her skin sparkled like diamonds, sending rainbows everywhere.

"We have one last surprise for you," Carlisle told her, "and it should be here any minute."

Right on cue, the doorbell rang. Everyone went downstairs. Edward and Jasper were hiding something behind their backs.

"What have you got there?" Esme asked.

Both of them held their arms out at the same time. Jasper held out a framed certificate and Edward held out....

"Adam!" Esme shrieked, snatching him for a hug.

"God, he's big! How did he grow so fast?" Alice commented.

"It's part of being a vampire baby," Carlisle told her, "he should be talking soon."

"Do you remember me?" Esme asked in almost a whisper. Her question was answered when he kissed her on the nose.

"Sure he remembers you," Carlisle said, "vampire babies have memories right out of the womb."

"That's a little disturbing," Bella commented, a hint of humor in her voice.

They watched Carlisle and Esme carry Adam off, all talking at once.

"Enough of this mushy stuff! Let's go play Rock Band Ten!"

The boys started to race upstairs, but Carlisle turned to look over his shoulder.

"Just remember that Rosalie and Emmett are coming over for dinner," he cautioned, "you know how she likes to watch her shows."

All of them groaned unanimously.

"Not Rosalie! Especially not now!" Bella couldn't keep from saying.

"At least it's not Jane and Alec," Edward muttered.

They were wrong.

At five-thirty, Rosalie and Emmett showed up. Despite Rosalie's clear disapproval about Esme, Emmett was happy for her and even challenged her to a wrestling match outside. When she had bested him two or three times (even to the point of causing a few dents in the ground), he was content to play with his new nephew. Jane and Alec showed up along with Aro right around the time that dinner was being served. Although it wasn't Esme's job anymore, she helped Melody, Bella, and Alice.

"I told you I wanted Type A!"

Rosalie kicked Melody in the stomach, her to fall. Blood splashed everywhere, making the stunned Melody appear as if she'd been murdered.

"That was very uncalled for," Esme snapped, helping Melody up. Melody skittered away like a frightened dog.

"You can't tell me what to do," Rosalie snarled, "you're just a second-class citizen. You're no better than a human."

Carlisle started to say something, but Aro cut him off with a raised hand.

"Yes...I did notice something different," he commented, "come here just a moment."

Esme did.

"Hmmm....Carlisle, why did I not hear of this?"

Carlisle looked a little uneasy. He knew that no answer he gave would be good enough. Esme tried to put on a brave face, but she was a little nervous.

"Because I love her and I want to marry her," Carlisle finally said, his voice thick with fear and other emotions.

Aro's expression was unreadable.

"We'll talk about this later."

A trembling Melody reappeared with the blood. Bella had mopped up Rosalie's mess. As if the bowl would explode, Melody very carefully set it down in front of Rosalie. Rosalie gave her a push, causing her to fall again. There was a distinct snap.

Esme whipped around and grabbed Rosalie by the shirt.

"Stop it!" she snapped.

Rosalie glared at her.

"You let me go or so help me, I'll rip you to shreds!"

Esme yanked Rosalie out of her chair and pinned her against the wall. Carlisle moved, but Emmett's hand on his shoulder stopped him. Clearly, he was curious as to what would happen. Jane and Alec were both grinning ear to ear. Jane's face was cold and somewhat absent. Bella knew that face--she was about to attack Esme.

But Esme looked fine. Without turning around, she said, "Nice try, Jane."

The slightest bit of surprise registered on Aro's face.

Rosalie swung her fist, but Esme dodged. The result was a small crater in the wall. Esme flung Rosalie across the room as if she weighed nothing. She hit a brick wall and lay still for a moment. When she got up, she was furious. She lunged at Esme, but Esme was faster. Within seconds, the two women were nothing but two blurs in the floor.

"Why aren't you stopping her?" Edward asked, stunned.

Emmett said nothing, but his expression spoke volumes.

_She needs to learn a lesson._

"Oh."

Edward had heard his thoughts.

Bella was worried about her sister, but Esme seemed to be holding up quite well. Carlisle had taken Melody away to deal with her broken wrist.

After only a few minutes, both of them emerged, panting. Esme was in much better shape than Rosalie. Rosalie looked like she'd been through a war. A few bite marks decorated her usually flawless skin. Unfortunately, those scars would be there for forever. She moved to take one last swipe at Esme before collapsing into the floor.

It wasn't until then that Esme realized the bitter acid-tasting substance in her mouth. It seemed to be coming from the roof of her mouth and from within her gums.

_Venom._

Feeling a little disturbed, she went into the kitchen and spit the rest of it out into the garbage can. The bright acid-green fluid hissed when it hit the trash.

Carlisle emerged from the servant's quarters. Seeing the expression on Esme's face, he looked concerned.

"Are you all right?"

"I bit Rosalie."

Carlisle let out a sigh of relief.

"Is that all? She deserved it. But she'll be in a nasty mood for a while."

He went into the kitchen. Emmett had already hauled Rosalie off the floor and was headed upstairs with her.

"This is going to take some getting used to," Esme admitted, somewhat embarrassed.

_Yes, it is..._Carlisle silently agreed.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"I feel that you owe me an explanation," Aro said sternly as he lounged on the porch swing.

Carlisle stared at the boards that made the porch. He was trying to figure out the right words.

"My job is very stressful at times. I don't require much from the three of you, only that my household is in order when I get home so that I can rest and have peace. When I arrive, the last thing I expect is a newborn vampire that still smells of your venom. And then, I realize that there is a toddler that seems out of place as well. I know he isn't of our blood because of his dark hair."

Carlisle opened his mouth, but hesitated. Aro's gaze pierced him.

"Go on," he pressed.

"Well, the child is here because his mother abandoned him on our doorstep several months ago," Carlisle said truthfully.

"There is such a thing as an adoption agency," Aro reminded him.

"Yes...and we did adopt him out to foster care. But Esme fell in love with him. She's a wonderful mother. She was heartbroken when he was gone."

"Esme...that's the oldest one..." Aro mumbled, trying to keep the humans sorted out in his mind.

"Yes," Carlisle said.

"You're getting to be a rather soft touch as of late," Aro commented, "those humans are here to _serve_ us. Their emotions come secondary to our needs. It's the least they could do after years of trying to find ways to destroy us and using their God as an excuse for murder. They're not capable of running things on their own. They've ruled the earth for thousands of years until now and look at the mess they made. For the first time, the air and water are clean and there's no fighting."

"There's....another reason...." Carlisle said, struggling to find the words.

Aro was getting impatient. He stood and pressed his hand against Carlisle's forehead. Carlisle helplessly watched as the memories streamed past. If Carlisle's heart would have been functioning, it would have pounded. He was getting nervous.

"Hmm," Aro muttered, sitting back down.

"Do you ever miss Mom?" Carlisle asked.

"Of course. It was nice to come home to someone I cared about. The three of you weren't so terrible, either. The only reason Jane and Alec are still breathing is because Sulpicia would notice them missing."

He paused for a moment to think.

"It's going to be difficult for her," Aro said finally, "she'll face plenty of discrimination because the bite marks are clearly visible. I wouldn't try it again."

Carlisle cringed inwardly.

Aro sensed his nervousness and frowned.

"You were going to do it again, weren't you?

Carlisle couldn't look his stepfather in the face, which was everything Aro needed to know. He was out of that porch swing and clutching Carlisle's chin roughly in one hand.

"Maybe I should stay home more often," he hissed, "so that I may be in on all of these secrets. Just how many humans were you planning on turning? Will you start on the ones next door when all of these are turned?"

Carlisle swallowed hard.

"They're sisters," he choked out, "they love each other. All their lives, they've had to fight for everything! I just wanted to give them a future!"

"You're playing with fire, dammit! Do you have ANY idea how much self control it took for me to keep from killing you? To this day, I still remember the taste of your blood! Most vampires consider the death of a human irrelevant, but there are eyes watching us!"

Aro looked half-crazed in that moment. His red eyes blazed hot like embers and his body was rigid. He released Carlisle and began to pace back and forth with his arms crossed.

"I know you have a big heart. Many have come to me and commented about what a good man you've become. You're among the most recognized in medical science for finding cures for both vampire and human diseases. You're also high in status because of who I am. But there are prices for everything. If you were just a regular middle-class vampire, most wouldn't think much of you changing a human, not that you could afford it. But they're going to get suspicious. And if they're not strong enough to be turned and they die, someone is going to find out. Someone is going to report it. Your credibility is going to be questioned and you could lose your medical license. I could lose my job because our government will question my ability to run a country when I can't even handle my own household."

"I took all the necessary precautions," Carlisle objected, "I kept copies of all the papers. If you want to see for yourself, I can go get them. I would never turn a human that I thought couldn't survive the change."

Aro sucked in a deep breath.

"I wish your mother were here."

It was unexpected.

"Why? So that she could talk some sense into me?" Carlisle asked.

"No. So that she would be around to convince me I wasn't a fool for raising a son to be just like her."

Carlisle couldn't suppress a grin. He was caving.

"Promise me that there won't be any deaths," he demanded, "because even a human's death in my position would be plenty of regret to live with."

"I promise," Carlisle said, resisting the urge to pounce on Aro and hug him.

"So, what will you do with her now that she's changed? Is there going to be a wedding?"

"I hope so," Carlisle said, "she's a great mother."

"There are plenty of born vampires that would make great mothers," Aro said dismissively.

"Well, they all ran away when they saw me coming," Carlisle joked, "I haven't met a single one."

"I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Aro muttered, "sometimes I wonder if I should have told you of your history. I want a word with your...fiancée....later. But first, we must check on Rosalie."

The two of them looked at each other and shared a grimace. As Carlisle followed Aro up the stairs, he secretly thanked God that he'd ended up underestimating his father.

Emmett had changed Rosalie into her favorite red nightgown. He held her cup for her while she sipped the blood daintily from a straw. The bite wounds had been cleaned out and bandaged. Jane and Alec were whispering to each other.

"I'll bet the slave can't do it again," Alec commented.

"Of course she can't, you knothead! It's the newborn strength! Even if Rosalie is a wimp, she'll win next time!"

"Out." Aro's voice was firm as he gestured towards the door. Pouting, the twins exited the room to go bother someone else.

"I hate her," Rosalie spat, "I want her gone NOW!"

"She would never have attacked if you hadn't hurt Melody and her sisters," Carlisle reminded her.

"I can't believe you actually turned her! Oh...what will my friends say when they find out about this?" Rosalie wailed.

"What if they found out about you?" Aro countered.

Rosalie's eyes went wide with shock.

"You swore to me you'd never bring that up!" she whined.

Emmett's eyes went to the hidden scar on her thigh. The femoral artery was there, hidden by the skirt of her nightgown. She'd been left to die in the streets after being raped by her lover and his friends before the world had been changed. At her request, Carlisle had bitten her there to keep the scar from showing.

"And what about me?" Emmett asked.

Rosalie turned her head, biting her lip. The paralysis was slowly wearing off.

"I know you hate me most of the time right now, but there was a time when you loved me enough to save my life," he reminded her quietly.

Everyone else took this as their cue to leave. Aro closed the door behind them all and the couple was left alone.

"We fight all the time. You've become even more materialistic every day," Emmett lamented, "and you've become a wealthy socialite thanks to your father's funds. You don't resemble the woman I married at all. It's so weird having to lie to everyone about where we came from all the time, too. Sometimes I wonder if I'm nothing more than just a part of the facade to you."

It was the first time he'd ever shared his pain openly. Rosalie suddenly felt like scum. Emmett sat down on the bed, his back facing her. His eyes were a dull cinnamon-colored due to the emotions he was experiencing. Despite his large build, he seemed vulnerable and small compared to the huge bed with its blazingly bright red covers. Rosalie struggled to sit upright, but she did. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she rubbed her cheek against his. Then, she said the two hardest words in her vocabulary:

"I'm sorry."

Emmett's large hands covered her small ones. His lips faintly brushed her ear with a tickle. She slid her hands back to his shoulders, kneading them gently. A soft purring sound vibrated through Emmett's body as her hands slid under his shirt. Slowly, he leaned sideways until he was lying down. Rosalie had run out of strength to stay upright, so she lay down next to him. She slid into his offering arms, warmed by his skin.

_I remember you,_ his kiss said, _I just hope you haven't forgotten me._

"Somebody's having fun," Jane commented, hearing the faint thumping sounds from the next room.

"Let's go--" Alec started to say, but the sound of a throat being cleared caught their attention.

"Don't the two of you have some homework to finish?" Jasper asked.

"Aw, Uncle Jasper, you always ruin the fun!" Jane pouted.

"Better me than Dad," Jasper reminded them.

They raced down the stairs. Jasper followed them, feeling heady and drugged from the emotions pouring in from the next room. He passed Edward in the hallway.

"I gotta get out of here," Jasper grumbled, "and don't go upstairs if you can help it."

"I can hear them down here," Edward grimaced, "at least you can't hear their _thoughts_. Contrary to popular belief, vampires do get headaches."

"How about going hunting? For old time's sake?" Jasper asked.

"Sure. Let's go."

"Can we come?" Alice asked.

Jasper stared at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"No," he said quietly, "it's too dangerous."

"We're probably looking at the two most dangerous animals in the woods," Bella teased. Edward sent her a naughty smile that almost made her melt.

"We're not talking about the animals, we're talking about us," Jasper warned, "it would be too easy to lose control. We don't want either of you getting hurt."

Alice started to argue, but a Look from Jasper silenced her. She watched his retreating back and sighed.

"What's the matter?" Bella asked when they were out of earshot.

"Oh, he's just been really busy lately. I miss spending time with him," Alice admitted, "he won't even have a summer off. He's going straight to graduate school for psychology right after he finishes with the bachelor's degree. Then he'll really be busy."

"Well, maybe once things settle down, it'll be better. With Esme changing and Aro, Jane, Alec, Rosalie, and Emmett coming over all in one night, it's understandable he'd want to get away from this craziness. I'm going to go check on Melody."

Alice stared out the window, hoping Bella was right.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

A/N: Sorry about the extremely long updates. Anyone who tells you that senior year of college is easy is really lying. Anyway, I caught a nasty illness and am bedridden tonight. Thought I would make the best of it.

The blood pooled at the bottom of his stomach. It was rich and warm like velvet, more satisfying to him than anything. Finally satisfied after making several kills, he released the rapidly cooling corpse and went to lay under a nearby tree. More for atmosphere than for need, a campfire burned nearby. Jasper's eyes were almost the same shade as the flames as he stared into them. His mind was clearer now and his body was satisfied.

He only wished his soul were.

Edward finished beating up on the mountain lion who had attacked him. The lion had clearly lost. It fascinated Jasper (and frightened him at the same time) that they all were so animal-like at times. Edward's eyes closed in ecstasy as a few droplets of blood escaped between his lips. Nearby, Emmett approached out of the shadows. He removed a plain white handkerchief out of his pocket and cleaned his face out.

"I still don't see how you snuck out of the house that quickly," Jasper said.

"Rosalie was sleeping when I left," the older vampire said with a wink.

Carlisle returned from the woods. The only drawback about hunting was that one absorbed a great deal more of fluid and it had to go somewhere. His insides still sloshed slightly.

"Dad must have really given you some crap," Edward teased. Carlisle's eyes had been dark when he'd left home.

"Nah. I can handle him. He was actually better about it than I thought he'd be," Carlisle confessed.

"He's getting soft in his old age," Jasper joked.

The four of them were now sitting by the fire. The wolves had come out to finish off the meat. They were completely unafraid of the vampires and even came up close. Even if they decided to bite, they couldn't do any damage. Some of the wolves would actually allow themselves to be petted.

"So, what's with you and Alice, anyway?" Edward said suddenly to Jasper. Jasper cringed inwardly and all of them could sense his hesitation. He toyed with a few blades of grass, skin like living marble caressing the fragile, delicate stems.

"I'm still working on that," he admitted.

Deciding not to push it further, they all fell silent and looked up at the stars.

It was late when they got home. Carlisle, Edward, and Emmett went to bed. Jasper was on his way to his own room. He paused outside Esme's door, which was propped open.

Esme was sleeping on her side. Bella and Alice were on either side of her. Alice was sleeping the furthest away, closer to the windowsill. The moonlight flowed over her, casting its ethereal light over her skin. She must have sensed Jasper because she woke.

Her dark eyes blinked up at him, unafraid and trusting. He felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth and hers did the same thing. His arms extended out to her and the moonlight glowed softly on his diamond skin. She carefully slid out from under the covers and crawled to the end of the bed where he was. The white nightgown she wore made her appear ghostly and otherworldly. It looked as though she had borrowed one of Esme's things. It was slightly too big for her, but not in an unflattering way. She had to move carefully to keep her knee from catching on the hem. It reminded him of a kitten's wobbly steps.

She made it to the end of the bed and he eased her off of it with no effort. Despite the chill of his hands, she welcomed his touch. Without a word and without a sound, silent as death itself, he moved out of the room. He carried her bridal style into his own room.

She wasn't sure what his intentions were and for one moment, she was frightened and excited all at once. Jasper eased her onto his own bed. She shivered slightly, but he mistook it for cold and drew the covers up over her. Then, he closed the door quietly and disappeared into the bathroom. She could hear the rustling of fabric and her thoughts slammed to a halt. He was changing…or at least undressing. She'd often wondered what he looked like. She'd examined a few of the books in the library. Esme was teaching them both to read. She couldn't understand all of the text, but she'd looked at the glorious marble sculptures that the Greeks had created. She imagined that's what he was: living stone. He was a work of art that drew breath.

Jasper reappeared, this time in pajamas. The bed moved with his weight as he got situated.

"Miss me?" he asked.

Her heart melted as his cool fingertips stroked her short black hair and grazed her forehead and scalp.

"I don't make enough time for you," he lamented, "and it's foolishness to pretend it's not there. You're really young, though."

For one dreadful moment, she was afraid he was going to tell her not to speak to him again and her own small hand clung to his, holding it against her cheek where it landed.

"Edward said that you're more grown up than most of the vampire girls our age; it was probably all that running. The more I thought about it, the more I could see it."

Her smile returned. He was relieved. He didn't like the idea of her eyes clouding over with concern and fear like that.

"You've seen what your sister goes through, so I don't have to tell you that you're taking a journey through Hell," Jasper warned her, "but that's your decision."

He moved closer to her. They were both lying on their sides now, face to face. His sweet breath was intoxicating to her.

"I'm a jealous one, Alice. I ain't gonna lie to you. I always wanted a place in your life. I get it and then I run hot and cold. I apologize for that. Edward says _I'm _the moody one."

He chuckled a little bit.

"I'm not an easy one to take on, but I wouldn't mind trying. How about you?"

His expression was so sweet, so loving that her heart ached. She could only nod, her throat swelling shut from emotion. His eyes closed and his face moved the very short distance towards hers. She received the chilly lips with eagerness and passion. He was hers and hers alone.

"Goodnight, honey. I'll be here when you wake up. That I can promise."

She closed her eyes, floating away. The contrast between the warmth of the blankets and the coolness of Jasper's body were more comforting to her than even being freed would ever be. If she had to choose someone to belong to, she would forever choose him.

Jasper watched her expression go slack as her presence left. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the scent. The idea of venom raging through her body horrified him, but the end result would be worth it. Wouldn't it?

He prayed that whoever was out there listening to him would protect her. This was only the beginning.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Can I stop yet?" Alice panted. Her legs felt like they were going to fall off in a moment. The treadmill seemed to be going too fast.

"Just a second," Carlisle told her, watching his timer. He slowed the machine gradually so that she wouldn't stumble. Jasper was at her side in a second with a towel. He mopped away the sweat from her forehead as Carlisle scribbled something on his clipboard.

"Very good. You have a good, strong heart. In more ways than one," he said, his golden eyes twinkling.  
Alice gratefully accepted a glass of water.

"I think we can get you in really soon," Carlisle told her, "but are you sure you don't want to be a little bit older?"

"I'm sure," Alice said, "it's not like I'll stop growing. I'll just age a little slower, that's all."

"Let's take a break," Carlisle said, "I think it's lunchtime, anyway."

Everyone met in the kitchen. Melody, Alice, and Bella ate macaroni and cheese while Esme and the boys had their blood.

"Do you miss Melody's cooking?" Alice asked.

Esme shrugged.

"It doesn't really seem the same anymore," she said, "but I like the way it smells."

Esme was slowly getting used to her new body. She was still surprised that things couldn't hurt her as easily as they used to. Though she couldn't eat human food nearly as much now, she still took little tastes here and there. She still hadn't quite gotten used to wearing new clothes and often let Bella and Alice borrow them if they wanted while Aro, Alec, and Jane weren't there. Alice seemed to have a natural talent for clothing and outfits.

Jasper seemed to be itching to tell them something. He was grinning like a Cheshire cat and wiggling around in his chair like a little kid.

"Jasper," Edward said, sounding annoyed, "just tell them already."

"All right, pushy," Jasper teased his brother. He turned to the rest of them and their conversation ceased. Even the clinking of silverware against dishes stopped.

"I have an interview tomorrow for an internship," he announced, "and the person I talked to said I have a good chance of getting it."

The table erupted into excited exclamations.

"I found out while Alice was in the MRI machine," he said, "I was waiting for all of us to be together."

Alice pounced on him and hugged him fiercely. She didn't even mind the bruise on her chest when she slammed into his shoulder. Soon, it wouldn't matter.

"I'll be working at Volterra Psychiatric Center," he continued, returning Alice's embrace, "it's one of the top psychology centers in the world. I'll be able to get a job anywhere I decide to work if this goes through."

"When's the interview?" Bella asked.

"On Wednesday at nine o'clock," he said, "and I was wondering if you'd mind terribly if I borrowed your sister for the day."

Everyone sent each other knowing looks. Alice flamed scarlet.

"No fang marks," Esme warned jokingly.

"It's a deal," Jasper laughed. He glanced sideways at Alice who was bowing her head.

"What do you say? Would you like to see something besides this house for a change?"

She nodded, too stunned to say anything.

"It's a date," he whispered in her ear.

They cleared away the dishes and took them into the kitchen. Melody was humming to herself as usual. Carlisle had taken off her cast yesterday and she seemed to be doing much better. Melody was easily the most forgiving person that Alice had ever seen. Since the fight between Rosalie and Esme, Rosalie had been much more civil to Melody. Melody smiled and seemed to bear no ill will though she sometimes flinched when Rosalie moved suddenly.

A draft blew in through a window left open and Bella quickly shut it. Winter was quickly approaching, which meant that Christmas was coming. Melody hefted the trash bag over her shoulder and took it outside.

"I wish we could do something special for Melody," Esme commented, "she deserves it more than anyone. I wish I knew who that man in her locket was."

"Did it have an inscription or writing or anything?" Jasper asked, entering the kitchen.

"I didn't get that good of a look at it."

"Well, it would be a place to start."

It was a night that Esme didn't need sleep, so she waited outside the servants' quarters until Melody's breath was slow and even. Then, as quietly as death itself, she slipped in and retrieved the locket. She hurried down the hallway to where the others were waiting.

It took a few tries to get the locket open without breaking it. The picture was wedged in very tightly. At last, they got it loose with only a small tear in the edge.

"There it is!" Bella said excitedly.

_To my dearest Melody, who makes my heart sing. Love, Lucas Edgecombe, 2004._

"Lucas Edgecombe…for some odd reason, that name sounds really familiar," Jasper commented, "he looks just like someone I had in class a couple of years ago."

"Can you find him?" Alice asked.

"I can try. I'd have to check the school's records. With all these privacy laws out, it's going to be tough to get the information, though."

"Maybe not," Edward responded, "ninety-nine percent of it is who you know."

"You're kidding," Carlisle groaned.

"No. I'm afraid not."

"You can't use Dad's name! He'll kill us if he finds out we're pulling strings!"

"Do you really think he cares? All he does is sleep and watch TV when he's here," Edward argued.

"He can read minds, you dork! Better than you can!" Carlisle objected.

Edward shrugged.

"Fine. I'll take the heat for this."

"Since when did you become so noble of a person?" Jasper asked, somewhat surprised.

Edward's eyes locked with Bella's.

"Since we started acting like a real family. It's kind of contagious."

Laughter filled the hall.

"I better get this back on Melody before she notices it missing," Esme said, putting the picture back into the locket.

"I better pray that we don't get into trouble," Carlisle mumbled.

Edward grinned.

"Trouble should have been my middle name."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

A/N: I've gotten a few questions about the guy in Melody's locket, so I decided I would touch on that in this chapter. No worries, though--the other characters will still be appearing.

Two years had passed and he still hadn't gotten used to it. His mortal eyes had been the most lovely sky-blue (or maybe ocean blue) and now they were scarlet red. His skin had hardened into living marble, his imperfections hidden by his Greek statue-like body. Lucas ran his comb through his shaggy blonde hair and paused in front of the mirror. A tattered photograph of a smiling young blonde woman stuck out from the side. His fingers, capable of snapping steel, caressed the picture as though it would fall apart at the slightest breath.

_Melody…_his mind sighed.

Today was November the twentieth. It was officially his second year as a vampire. He still bore the bite mark on the side of his neck. The shiny silver crescent-shaped scar would never let him forget what happened.

He often wondered if he would have been able to change anything that night. His heart still sobbed for his dear Melody, but nothing could be done about it. He didn't even know if she was alive.

"If only I hadn't tried to run," he sighed miserably.

He was with a new mate now, Cathy, but she was proving to be a real piece of work. He made a handsome living as a singer (though he wasn't as widely known as many other bands), but Cathy continuously bled him dry. She would take his paycheck and off she would go. He was sure she was cheating on him because there would always be fresh bite marks on her neck and shoulders that weren't his. He had been so desperate to appease his guilt and loneliness that he hadn't gotten to know Cathy. They'd been together roughly a week before he slept with her.

That was a mistake.

He couldn't get rid of her now and wasn't sure how to go about it. At this moment, he'd give anything for an excuse to throw her trashy butt out on the street. She'd be fine: God knew she had enough lovers to warm her bed.

He was somewhat startled by the ringing of his small silver cell phone. Who would call him this early? The sun had just risen.

"Hello?"

His gentle tenor voice seemed to echo. He stepped out of the bathroom and wandered to his messy closet in search of clothes.

"I'm looking for a Lucas Edgecombe," a man's voice said on the other line.

"This is him," Lucas said. He slid a pair of faded jeans over his red boxer shorts.

"This is Doctor Carlisle Cullen," the voice said, "do you know anything about a girl named Melody?"

Lucas froze. If his heart would have been beating, it would have thundered right then.

"Yes…" he said hesitantly.

"We found your picture in her locket and we were wondering if you were also trying to find her."

Golden sunlight was streaming into the room. A pleasant, heady, tingling sensation filled him.

"I've looked everywhere," he gasped, holding onto that phone for dear life, "I've looked everywhere I can think to look. Is she still alive?"

"Oh, yeah. She's still alive. She's got some brain damage, however. We've had her at our house for the last two years and she's been a great help. She seems to be pining a lot lately, though. We think it's because she misses you."

Lucas knew he should have been happy, but his stomach was churning. With some difficulty, he let the axe fall.

"How bad is the damage?" he asked.

"She's had trouble communicating, but she seems okay otherwise. She's a very tough girl. Do you want our address?"

The door closed behind Lucas, who was still pulling a shirt over his head as he ran to the car.

"Let me take care of this," Esme said, taking the dishes out of Melody's hand. Melody looked at her quizzically, but she released her hold on them. She was even more puzzled when Alice and Bella pulled her into the bathroom and started fixing her hair. Alice managed to coax her out of the stained slave garment and into a clean one. Esme came in shortly after and started putting on makeup.

Melody just sat there, staring at all of them as if they had lost their minds. She liked the attention, but she didn't understand why they were doing these things. For one frightful moment, she wondered if she was going to be sold.

There was a knock at the door. Alice squealed like a child and ran to get it.

"I hope I have the right address," he said breathlessly, "this is Dr. Cullen's house, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Come on in."

The slender young vampire stepped inside. He looked around and appeared to be impressed with these surroundings. Alice had never thought about how big the house actually was until now--she had gotten used to it.

"You're Lucas, aren't you?"

"Yes."

The grin on Alice's face couldn't get any better. She ran to the slave's quarters and retrieved a very confused Melody. Everyone held their breaths as Melody emerged.

The first thing that happened was complete surprise on both their faces. Warm brown eyes met the deep, rich, red ones.

Melody timidly crossed the room, never taking her eyes off of his face. Slowly, he raised his hands up to clasp hers.

"Melody," he breathed, "I never forgot about you. I've been trying to find you for years."

Her eyes started to water and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"It's all right," he whispered, "it's all right. I won't leave you ever again."

Neither of them noticed that they were now alone.

"We did it," Alice breathed, "all of us…her life's never going to be the same again."

"The question is where she's going to go and how she's going to do it," Carlisle commented, "my father's going to notice a missing slave--no offense to any of you."

"Can't he just buy her?" Alice asked.

"It's not that simple."

"Make her a vampire, then," Bella said.

"Think about it…if she dies, that releases her from her bondage. Your heart stops when you become one."

"It would have to be Lucas's venom, though," Carlisle said, "he has to be the one to bite her. Even then, he can get in trouble for theft because he'd have taken one of our slaves."

"So, sell her to him first and then let him bite her."

Carlisle was impressed with the girls. They weren't as ignorant as everyone thought they were."

"All right, but we're in this together," he warned, "Dad almost had a heart attack over Esme. I don't have any idea what will happen when he finds out about this."

Everyone went into Carlisle's office. Melody's fuller figure looked strange in Lucas's lap, but nobody commented. They were too fixated on what was about to happen. Adam, who had grown to love Melody, was fussy and cranky. Esme cradled him against her chest.

"All right," Carlisle told Lucas, "I have to write down that you paid something, but I'll give it back to you as a wedding present. We'll take Melody to the hospital first thing in the morning."

"But what about all the paperwork and all that stuff?" Alice asked, remembering what Esme had gone through.

"I already did her labs," Carlisle said, "they're right here. I filled out her papers for her since she can't figure them out."

Melody was humming to herself, tickling Adam's chin. He didn't bite her hard, but playfully nipped at her finger.

"So…I'll put her down for a hundred dollars," Carlisle said, "you think that's fair?"

Lucas was stunned. He had been expecting at least a thousand.

"Yeah."

"Sign here."

He did.

"Meet us here at nine. We'll take her in as quick as we can."

They shook hands.

"I'll be back. In the meantime, I've got some things to take care of."

The streets were quiet as Lucas drove. His mind was racing, his heart full to overflowing. There was only one thing he had to deal with now: Cathy.

She was waiting for him when he came in.

"What are you so happy about?" she asked irritably. Empty bottles littered the table. He would bet his entire paycheck that she'd sat around and done nothing but watch television when she came in.

"Lots of things," Lucas said cheerfully. He raked the empty blood bottles into the garbage and switched the television off. Then, he placed himself squarely in front of the television.

"Well, Cathy, I think it's safe to say that you and I aren't working. I think it's time to go our separate ways."

Funny…it sounded much harder in his head. With a look of disdain, she removed the ring from her finger and slammed it down on the table.

"Fine," she said coldly. The sound of the door slamming followed by tires squealing seemed deafeningly loud.

Lucas listened to the silence that followed. He felt guilty for a moment, but not for long. The pictures of the two of them went into the garbage. The apartment was sparkling clean in no time and he had ordered a dozen red roses to be delivered to the hospital on Wednesday, the day he guessed she would wake. He couldn't remember feeling this alive since he had been a mortal.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21.

"Don't be afraid, Melody. You'll be feeling wonderful when you wake up," Carlisle assured the nervous young woman on the bed. He smoothed her covers and motioned Jasper and Edward into the hallway.

"Where on earth is Lucas? I'll have to inject her soon and I had hoped it would be his venom. At the very least, she'll want to see him."

"I just got off the phone with him," Esme said, "he's on his way here. He got held up in traffic."

"Traffic? Couldn't he have just ran here?"

"Now, Carlisle, calm down. He didn't see it coming. You seem almost as jumpy as Melody."

Carlisle was nervous only because he wasn't sure if Melody's brain damage would be healed by the venom. If she became a vampire and still had brain damage, the results would be ugly. She would have to be locked up for the rest of her life.

"I'm here," Lucas's voice said, making them all breathe a sigh of relief. His skin was ashen under the fluorescent lights, an indicator that he was afraid as well.

"Would you like a moment alone?" Carlisle asked. Lucas nodded and went inside the hospital room.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? It's like a fairy tale," Esme sighed, caressing Adam's back. The sleeping vampire toddler looked absolutely angelic in his white romper. His dark hair framed his little round face perfectly like a dark halo.

"I admit it," Carlisle said, "I never thought I would see the day that Melody ever went anywhere besides servitude. I'm happy for her."

He looked into Esme's now golden eyes, love shining in his own.

"I know this hardly seems the time or the place, but God chooses the moment," Carlisle said, dropping to his knees, "Esme, will you marry me?"

Everyone stopped talking and turned.

"Of course I will," she gasped, trying to get her voice past the surprise that blocked her throat.

Cheers erupted in the hallway. One of the patients that was in a wheelchair gave a loud whoop. Someone from another room whistled sharply. A nurse gave them a slightly annoyed look, but she couldn't stop the smile that overpowered it.

Esme felt as if some inner glow filled her chest. Her knight in shining armor wore scrubs instead of metal. Everything he had ever done for their fragmented family stood out in her mind like a pile of glowing coals. Now, she, Bella, and Alice were going to be family as well. Sleepy Adam woke up for a moment as they embraced, then fell back into his peaceful slumber.

"Are you sure you don't mind having a son?" Esme asked, looking down at him.

"If I minded, I wouldn't have tried to get him back for you in the first place," Carlisle teased, "he doesn't look like me, but love is thicker than blood. He'll be mine and yours as much as if we'd been the ones to make him."

Lucas returned to the doorway, puzzled.

"Did I miss something?"

"Carlisle and Esme are getting married," Edward said, "as if _that_ was a surprise."

Bella and Alice cornered him.

"You knew and you didn't tell any of us?!" Bella demanded.

"He made me swear," Edward said half-heartedly, "otherwise, it would have ruined the moment."

"You're lucky you're cute," Bella muttered.

Edward grinned devilishly and kissed her on the cheek.

"Forgive me, my princess," he teased.

Alice stood back and watched them all. Strong arms surrounded her and she recognized Jasper's scent immediately.

"Professor let us out late," he said, an edge of guilt in his voice, "I didn't want to miss it."

"How long were you standing there?" Alice asked.

"I heard Carlisle pop the question."

The three brothers shared a knowing look with each other.

"All right, Lucas, are you ready?" Carlisle asked.

He gulped loudly.

"I think so."

The two men went inside and closed the door.

"Let's go," Alice said nervously, "I don't want to hear her screaming."

They went to a nearby waiting room where the noise wouldn't be so bad.

The machines beeped and whirred as Carlisle turned them all on. Melody didn't seem so agitated with Lucas there and she still wore the locket around her neck. Lucas would have been sweating if he'd been mortal—he had never been so scared in his life. Memories of the vampire who had changed him before they ruled the world still haunted his nightmares. Now, he was doing the same thing to poor Melody.

_She'll forgive me,_ he thought, _she'll know I'm only doing this to help her. She's barely living a half-life anyway. Oh, God, I wish there were some way to keep her from feeling the pain…._

"Don't worry," Carlisle told him, "she'll likely go unconscious after a little bit. We're working on an experimental anesthetic that dulls the sting of the venom. She'll be all right."

He pulled Melody's hair out of her face and away from her neck, securing it in an elastic band borrowed from one of the other girls. Then, he uncovered her wrists and ankles. Melody's heart rate went up a little bit and Lucas's resolve was quickly shaking to bits.

"The neck first," Carlisle told him.

Before Lucas could do it, he kissed Melody passionately, hoping the happiness and the passion would counteract the awful pain she would face. Then, he snapped his teeth hard into her neck.

Melody gasped, but did not scream. The warm blood gushed into Lucas's mouth. He couldn't restrain himself and continued to draw it out as the venom pumped from his gums.

"Lucas, stop!" Carlisle said firmly.

But he couldn't.

Carlisle seized Lucas and pried him loose. Horrified, Lucas staggered backward, blood still dripping off his lips and down his chin. Knowing that the timing was crucial, Carlisle did the bites on her wrists and ankles. It was then that Melody started to whimper and tears began to pour out of her squeezed-shut eyes.

"Oh, my God…" Lucas felt sick.

"It's all right, Lucas. You didn't get more than a couple of mouthfuls. Go and clean yourself up; I'll bandage her neck. It happens; it was just an accident.

Lucas shuddered as he stepped into the bathroom. His own reflection startled him; he still had the coldness of the vampire instincts in his eyes. He looked like the same monster that had murdered his parents in cold blood before trying to take his life.

_Thank God for Carlisle…_he thought weakly, cleaning away the stains, _at least I know it can't ever happen again._

When he came out of the bathroom (which had been a long time), Melody's muscles were as tight as a drum. She was convulsing violently, her eyes glazed over and unfocused. It broke Lucas's heart to see her strapped to that bed.

"You should go home, Lucas. I'll keep you updated on her condition," Carlisle assured him, "she's going to be all right."

Carlisle gave the young vampire a reassuring hug as a strangled sob escaped Lucas's throat. Trying hard to compose himself, he nodded and left without a word.

"Is he okay?" Alice asked as Lucas passed them.

"He's having a tough time, honey," Jasper told her, "he's feeling guilty because he had to see her hurt."

"He lost control," Edward specified, "and Carlisle had to get him loose."

"Oh…"

A chill came over Alice and she lay her head against Jasper's shoulder thoughtfully. Bella seemed unbothered by the situation, but Alice felt the tiniest pang of fear. It became clear to her that all of them did have a dangerous side. For the longest time, she had convinced herself that Jasper, Edward, and Carlisle weren't dangerous. Lucas didn't seem dangerous, either, but instinct, not malice, had been the deciding factor here. Would they one day lose control as well?

The uncertainty she felt washed over Jasper like a cold ocean wave. He rubbed her back with one hand, trying to calm her fears. He wasn't much for words, but he wanted to let her know that he loved her and wouldn't dream of hurting her.

"Let's go," Esme told them, "Carlisle has to get back to work and we have things to get done at home. And Adam's fussy and needs his bottle and I don't have an extra."

A growl from Adam confirmed this. They all got in the car after Carlisle stole one last kiss from Esme.

"See you tonight," he whispered silkily.

Excitement grew in her belly. He was going to be hers, all hers. Suddenly, the future wasn't such a frightening thing.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The venom had spread like fire through her veins. Melody had managed not to cry out until Lucas and Carlisle had been out of the room for some time. As soon as they were safely out of earshot, she had howled in pain. She imagined invisible flames licking through her thrashing body, waging war on her insides. Her heart began to race frantically, as if pumping her blood faster would make the flames go out. She began to lose track of time as she struggled not to fixate on the awful burning sensation. Faces swam in and out of her consciousness. Lucas….he was back…she still couldn't believe it. He was the last person she thought of before she finally blacked out.

"Go clean up room 137," the head nurse barked at the slave girls. Grudgingly, they obeyed.

"Aw, crap, another one?" Sheila asked irritably, seeing Melody's convulsing body. The heart monitors weremoving so fast that they were almost humming. Despite Carlisle's attempts to keep Melody from eating or drinking the night before, a vomit stain pooled in the floor. Melody had also lost control of her bladder at some point, for the sheets were also wet. Sheila sighed and stripped away the soaked sheets while Rebecca mopped up the floor.

"She's so lucky," muttered Sheila, "she doesn't have to worry about a thing."

At thirty-five years old, Sheila had been stripped of her family and sold into slavery. She had been raising two children underground, one was seven and one was in his teens. Her husband had divorced her before the vampires had taken over due to her ever-present mood disorders. The slave dealer had been extremely convincing to the doctors who were getting hospital slaves that day. Sheila couldn't really complain—she ate and slept regularly (unless there was an unusually large number of patients that needed tending to) and she got the medication she needed to manage her depression. She still, however, wished that she could find someone to change her. The only drawback was that she didn't know Dr. Cullen personally and rarely was sent to this wing. The other vampire doctors were a lot less willing because they had fewer connections. Anyone outside the hospital couldn't be trusted—they might just drain her and leave her to die on the street.

"I hope she has a great life," Sheila sighed, pulling the clean hospital gown over Melody's head. Rebecca was helping to hold the unconscious girl up.

"Me, too."

They put the soiled linens in the basket and continued on their way.

…………………………………………

Esme wandered through the house until she found Carlisle in the garden. He was kneeling by the rose bushes, yanking the weeds away from the thorny, but beautiful plants. Some of the weeds even had thorns, but Carlisle was unaffected by them. The professional neatness of the rest of him contrasted sharply with the mud on his glittering white hands. Some of his gelled-back blonde hair had worked its way loose from its hair product and was now hanging somewhat in his face.

"You know, you could have asked if you wanted that done," Esme commented.

Carlisle looked up at her.

No one seemed more perfectly in place than Esme in the garden. She wore a white sundress splashed with roses and sunflowers. Even the jeweled clip in her hair was a butterfly, the golden color contrasting with her silky caramel hair.

"Ah, it's all right. Besides, I needed an excuse to get outside. That office gets stuffy after a while."

She knelt on the stone path next to him. Adam was some distance away. He was laying in the grass, almost dozing off. Apparently, he had worn himself out in his playing. He had apparently figured out his own strength, for rocks that had worked loose from the ground were now reduced to gravel. Carlisle chuckled at the young boy. He had mastered crawling and was rapidly learning how to walk.

"So does the house. Adam seems to get into everything these days," Esme commented.

Carlisle used one nail to skim the thorns off of a rose. He tucked the stem into Esme's hair so that the lush yellow blossom rested close to her face.

"Alice and Bella were trying to help me plan the wedding," she laughed, "they barely know anything about weddings. They just happened to see one when we were living under a church one time. It's got to be the first time in their lives that they got to live as girls—not just as slaves and not just as children."

"Glad to hear it," Carlisle said, brushing the dirt off of his hands. He rose and dipped them into the bubbling fountain.

"So…what do _you_ want?" he asked her.

Esme looked around. It was a big question.

"I get to decide?" she asked, stunned.

"It's up to you," he assured her.

Esme felt so dizzy that she had to sit down. She felt the warm security of Carlisle's arm around her. How odd, she thought, that his skin had once held the texture of living stone. He hardly seemed cold and hard now.

"I want to have the wedding here in the garden," she said suddenly, "it's so beautiful and peaceful out here. And we wouldn't need to bother much with decorations—the flowers already take care of that."

"We can do that," Carlisle said easily, "anything else?"

Esme frowned.

"What else is there?"

"Guests, cake, dress, preacher, uh…dinner for the humans, I guess…the reception party…goodness, I have to ask Rosalie."

"Rosalie? She wouldn't help us, would she? She still seems angry with me for biting her," Esme sighed.

"She'll get over it. Parties and weddings…any big social event is her thing. If you have a party to plan, she'll be anyone's best friend. Emmett and I will make sure she doesn't get too carried away. Besides, she knows every shop number in town and she can get us anything we need."

"All right," Esme gave in reluctantly.

"Trust me," he told her.

She could do that. His kiss told her everything.

"Come here. I want to show you something."

They crossed the massive garden until they reached a small white gazebo hidden slightly by the lush trees that grew around it. Carved just above the doorway was a likeness of none other than Esme, Bella, and Alice.

"When did this get here?" Esme asked, stunned.

"Yesterday, actually. While we were at the hospital," Carlisle responded, "that's why Edward and Jasper were late. They made sure the job was done right."

"It's beautiful," Esme breathed.

He took her hand and led her up the stairs. The inside was cushioned with plush velvet red pillows. It looked like the perfect place to come outside with a book (she could now read very well) or take a nap. She sank into them, breathing sounds of contentment.

Carlisle lay beside her. They shared a kiss, but there was something different about this one. There was a feeling of almost hunger to it…one that had never awakened in her until now. Her mind got lost in a fog, but her vampire senses were acutely aware of every touch, every caress, and every sigh. It was something she would remember forever. It was not the first time Carlisle had ever seen Esme unclothed (he'd had to perform a complete physical for her transformation), but it was the first time she had ever seen him in the same state. It was also the start of something more powerful: their souls were bared. Their souls had also collided in that moment, connecting.

As they lay completely still together, feeling the wind caress them both and listening to the melodies of the world around them, Esme's heart was full of joy to overflowing. Life with Carlisle…this…forever…was something much better than any of her dreams had ever shown her.

…………………………………………

The first thing Melody heard upon waking was the flatlining of the heart monitor. The pain had faded rapidly overnight and she had slowly become aware of herself again. Someone opened the door and began to remove the monitors, the IV line, and the other things attached to her. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"Morning, sunshine," Lucas's soft voice greeted her. He'd been crying—she could still see the lingering tear-tracks on his cheeks. She had never quite gotten over the fact that vampire tears looked like watered-down blood.

"Lucas…" she choked out, "…my throat hurts…it's so dry…"

"Hang on."

He was out of the room faster than she even registered. He returned with a steaming bottle and held it to her lips. The heated stuff filled her insides and the soft warmth soothed the awful sting in her throat. It wasn't until she was done that she realized it was blood.

"What happened to me, Lucas? My memory seems so fuzzy and dim…"

"You're a vampire now," he told her, "Carlisle and I changed you. You had brain damage before."

"Carlisle…is that the one I worked for? Yes, I remember him…and the three girls…God…it almost seems like a dream or another life…"

He smoothed her auburn curls out of her face. Even her hair seemed brighter now.

"It was another life, Melody. I'm taking you home. With me."

"You can do that?" she asked, unused to the softness and sensuality of her own voice.

"I can do that. I'm going to tell the others you're awake. They were wondering about you. Here—I brought you some clothes. You can change while I'm talking to them."

She accepted the clothes and slowly slid out of bed. Her senses were so sharp that they almost overwhelmed her—colors she had never seen before jumped out at her eyes. Every small movement, every little noise made, every smell caused her thoughts to ripple. As she moved, she felt that she was no longer just walking or clumsily shuffling along, she was gliding.

She stood in front of the bathroom mirror and stared as she pulled off the hospital gown. Her curves were still full and round, but the ripples of fat were gone. They were replaced by smooth, taut muscle and skin. Her frizzy curls were now shiny and smooth. The somewhat glazed look she'd held before was now replaced by the sharp vampire stare of intelligence. She was free of slavery for forever.

_Let Rosalie bite that and drink it,_ she thought smugly as she put her undergarments on.

The sight that greeted the Cullen family was nothing less than a miracle. Melody no longer shuffled; she strutted. The fitted jeans, flowing green blouse, and black strappy sandals looked as though she was born to wear them. Aside from the faint bite scar on her neck, no one would ever know that she had once been a slave just by looking at her. They were even more stunned to hear her speak for the first time.

"Let's go have dinner—my treat!" Lucas announced proudly, taking Melody's hand in his. They all cheered and got into the elevator.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: I don't think I've ever seen a Marathon Reader award given out to anybody before, so I guess I'll give out the first unofficial one. I now have a #1 critic! (applause). I say that with the most affection possible because this is the only guy to point stuff out without being a jerk. With that in mind, I'd like to give the Marathon Reader award and the #1 Critic award to Falconheart (who I'm sure is gonna read this). Guess what you win, Falconheart? You get a character all to yourself! Thanks for breaking up the writer's block!

Carlisle closed the door to his office and opened a window instead to take a breather, so to speak. This had been a busy morning, there was no doubt about that—Rosalie was badgering Esme to make a decision about the flowers to be used for the wedding and Jasper's graduation was rapidly approaching. Though he would be expected to do great things, he was on the margins of what the vampires called a "grace period" in which he would not physically grow any more for a few more years. The grace period was an easier time for vampires, especially males, because it automatically made their thoughts and bodies less chaotic. It would also be a good time for him to expand in his empathy abilities.

Oh, and there was one last thing—Carlisle couldn't believe he'd nearly forgotten about the tutor that was coming over today. Bella and Alice were going to be taught to read and write. It hadn't been easy to find a vampire tutor that would teach humans, but he'd done it for their sake. If they were to become vampires, they would need to be educated.

The phone rang, calling him out of his temporary state of calm.

"Cullen Residence," he greeted the other person.

"Good afternoon. Is there a Doctor Carlisle Cullen present?"

"That's me, sir. What can I do for you?"

"This is Falcon X. Hart. I am calling to confirm the three o'clock appointment with my two potential students."

"We'll be leaving the gates open for you, sir. There's quite a bit going on down here, so just come straight in if you don't get a response from the door."

Mr. Hart was silent for a moment. Carlisle knew he was wondering what was that important to be unavailable to answer the door for.

"I shall come then. Just keep in mind, Doctor, that my time is very important and I will not reschedule."

"I understand, sir."

The goodbye was swift and formal. Carlisle ventured out to the backyard to check on the progress. Rosalie and Esme were sitting at one of the stone tables.

"How are the flowers coming, girls?"

"Fine," Esme spat irritably, "Rosalie, can we _please_ take a break?"

Rosalie seemed unusually cool at the moment. She was enjoying this—it was blatantly obvious from her sneer. She seemed to think Esme was unable to handle planning her own wedding.

"Go on," she said dismissively, "Carlisle and I can handle some of these. Why don't you go check on your sisters?"

Esme didn't need a second invitation. They watched her retreating back for a moment, then Carlisle turned to Rosalie.

"What's with the attitude?"

"What attitude?" Rosalie feigned innocence.

"That 'I can do everything better than you can' smirk you're wearing. It doesn't compliment your face, you know."

Rosalie laughed.

"I'm just not used to helping someone who has no idea how to plan a party or event of any kind, that's all."

Carlisle sat down in the chair Esme had been sitting in previously.

"What else is there?"

"Entertainment. That's all."

"That's an easy one. I want Melody to be our wedding singer."

Rosalie's jaw dropped.

"You're joking."

"No. I'm totally serious. She's got the talent."

"Ugh…fine. But I'm leaving before she gets on that stage. Her voice makes me ill."

Carlisle shrugged, but she knew she wouldn't win on this one.

* * *

"What's wrong with you, Alice?" Bella asked, straightening herself up. She had been scrubbing out the fancy bathtub in Aro's master bathroom.

"Something weird just happened, like I was just dreaming but awake…I saw this strange man come into the house. He was carrying a lot of books. And then it jumps to Jane and Alec trying to play a mean trick on you at the wedding and it doesn't work…and then…oh…I forgot the rest of it."

"You might just be tired. Why don't you go take a nap? We don't have much left to do anyway," Bella told her.

Alice nodded and stood up just as Esme entered the room.

"How are you all coming?" she asked, feeling guilty that she hadn't been there to help them today.

"We're almost finished," Bella said, wringing out the sponge, "we just have the bedroom to dust and vacuum and then stay out of the way once the guests get here."

"Thank goodness. I never knew a wedding could be so much work," Esme confessed, "Rosalie wants everything done to the last detail. And Carlisle says you're getting a tutor."

The two girls looked at each other questioningly.

"Someone's coming who's going to teach you how to read and write," she explained, "and other subjects, too. I won't be here for the first month that he is, but I'm sure I'll get caught up in no time."

"Do we have to learn?" Bella asked, frowning. She liked doing things; books seemed boring.

"Yes, you have to. It's very important. Now, I have to go, but I'll be back in a little while."

Bella never got a chance to ask where she was going, but the question faded when the doorbell rang. She hurried down the stairs, sweating and out of breath by the time she reached the door.

A vampire she did not know stood there. Even though this was one of the richest households around, he still seemed out of place. There was a strictness about this man that made her cringe. He wore a navy blue jacket with the University's crest on it; she recognized the symbol from Jasper's jacket.

"Who are you?"

The words sounded small and dumb, but she couldn't figure out why they had escaped her tongue so quickly. The visitor seemed unimpressed and stepped forward. She involuntarily stepped back. The austere red glow of his eyes made her uneasy.

"Close your mouth, girl."

She did. He examined her up and down. She suddenly became self-conscious of the stain down the front of her slave's garment, her bare feet (she had taken her shoes off while cleaning the tub), and her messy hair that had strayed from its bun.

"What is your name, slave?"

"Bella, sir," she said awkwardly.

He examined her again for a moment and she felt her temper rising slightly.

"Well, you're not stupid," he said, as if it were a doctor's visitation, "but you are very sloppy and undisciplined. That does not surprise me since you are only a human."

"Bella, who's…?" Alice started to ask, but she stopped when she caught sight of the strange vampire.

"This must be the other one," the vampire muttered, as if talking more to himself. He gave Alice the same critical stare. She flushed and looked down at the floor.

"Lift your chin, otherwise I might think you find that floor very interesting."

He gave her slumped shoulders a slight tug.

"Alice, you are not a monkey. Do not stand like one."

Bella suddenly remembered their conversation in the bathroom, but something told her not to bring it up right now.

_I wonder if this is the vampire that Alice was talking about…_

"It will be difficult to teach you, but not impossible. I fail to see the point of educating humans, but Dr. Cullen insisted to me that you will both be good students. You will have to work very hard, as I will not let ignorance be an excuse. Your first lesson will be next Monday in the library at nine o'clock sharp. Do I make myself clear?"

Both of them nodded.

"I despise tardiness—remember that."

The visitor was about to leave when a blur plowed into him, sending him skittering across the floor. A smiling Emmett hoisted him to his feet and adjusted the jacket that had gone askew.

"Sorry, man!"

Emmett kept running with Jasper and Edward hot on his heels. Alice and Bella's new teacher began to replace the books that had fallen out of his shoulder bag.

"That's the guy from my dream! It has to be!" Alice whispered to Bella. Just before he left, they noticed the words "Falcon X. Hart" embroidered on the bag in gold letters.

"He definitely acts like a bird of prey, doesn't he?" Emmett joked. He had returned to the spot where Bella and Alice still stood.

"You know him?" Alice asked.

"Sure. I had Literature and Composition classes with him in college," Emmett laughed, "he was one of the strictest professors I ever had to deal with. All he had to do was give me the Look and I knew I was in for it. I may not be the most literate person in the world, but thanks to that guy, I can always make it sound like I know what I'm saying."

The three of them shared a laugh.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: The wedding chapter. I intended to have this up much faster, but college is beating the crap out of me. Spring break prevails, though, so I should have some time to add more to ALL my fanfictions. Enjoy!

"Up, Esme! I can't believe you're still asleep at a time like this!"

Before Esme was even fully awake, she found herself being yanked out of bed by Rosalie. Alice and Bella were standing at the doorway. Melody had retrieved the wedding dress from the closet and was unzipping the plastic bag around it. The house suddenly seemed full of very busy women and harassed-looking young men.

"You! Get the bath ready!" Rosalie told Bella. Bella stomped off, tired of Rosalie's bossiness.

_I'm doing this for my sister,_ she thought stubbornly, trying not to get angry.

"You! Get the hair stuff ready!"

Alice joined Bella in the bathroom, laying out the numerous hair-care products on the counter.

"You! Lay the dress and the veil out on the bed and make sure the suitcases are packed. And don't forget the plane tickets!"

Melody shrugged and smoothed out the yards of white fabric. Esme was stripped and plunged into a tubful of fluffy mounds of bubbles and way too many different soaps and oils at once. The perfume smells were overwhelming to her vampire senses and she wanted to open the window for ventilation. Alice took pity on her and did so without being asked.

"What do you wash your hair with, dish soap?!" Rosalie asked, scrubbing furiously at Esme's caramel-colored hair. She was scrubbing so vigorously that Esme was swaying like a palm tree in a hurricane. Esme began to growl out of instinct because of Rosalie's rough treatment, but Rosalie ignored the low warning sound.

"There."

She pulled Esme's head under the tab and rinsed away the suds. Nearly half a bottle of conditioner followed. Shortly afterward, she was yanked from the tub, dried off, and plunked into a chair.

"Well, you're no model, but your hair has certainly improved," Rosalie commented, drawing the brush through Esme's now silky smooth locks. A great deal of blow-drying, combing, fussing, poking, and prodding followed. Satiny smooth undergarments were put on first with many sly smiles and comments implying something.

"Men like soft things," Rosalie said, disdainfully throwing Esme's pajamas and undergarments into the laundry basket, "you want him to touch you all over. Those old things would never do."

The dress came next. Esme knelt down on the floor while the yards of off-white satin and lace were lowered onto her outstretched arms and over her head. For a moment, she almost feared drowning in the endless cream-colored fabric. After an eternity, she emerged. Amazingly enough, her hair stayed perfectly in place despite the struggles. Quite pleased with herself, Rosalie then retrieved a huge black bag from the corner.

"What's that?" Esme asked.

Rosalie unzipped the bag. Esme was stunned; there were enough cosmetics in that bag to start her own make-up store. Alice slipped her feet into her shoes while Rosalie layered on the "war-paint" as Bella affectionately called it.

"Done," Rosalie breathed, "and not a moment too soon."

"Come here," Bella said, dragging Esme to the mirror.

Esme stared in shock at her reflection. The woman there did not look anything like her. She had to touch the mirror to be sure it was her.

The dress was a simple cut with spaghetti straps for the top. The simple bodice led into a very elaborate skirt with many layers and a very long train. The skirt flared out so much that Esme hoped a strong wind wouldn't come along—she'd never get back on the ground! The shoes were high heeled and had elaborate beading patterns on them. The veil cascaded down around her shoulders and gave her a soft, light appearance. Her hair had been pulled into an elaborate updo that defied description. A few little strands had artfully been let loose and allowed to fall in little ringlets so that her cheeks didn't look too hard. As was the tradition in the Cullen family, she was not encrusted with diamonds, but in rubies instead.

"You look like a queen," Alice commented, stunned. She meant the compliment for Esme, but Rosalie greedily snatched it for herself.

"Not bad," Rosalie said, stepping forward, "but she's not even my _best_ work."

There was a knock at the door and a grateful Melody answered it.

"Room service," Emmett said jokingly, carrying three steaming bottles of blood in one arm and a plate of muffins in the other hand.

"If your hands are full, how did you—oh, never mind. You probably used that thick head of yours, didn't you?" Rosalie asked as she helped him pass out breakfast.

"I love you, too," he teased, pulling her close.

She pushed him away and held him at arm's length. Her pajamas contrasted sharply with his brand new suit.

"So, do I pass the inspection?" he asked.

She nodded wordlessly. Even his shoes were polished…

"You might want to go get ready," he whispered, "or you'll miss the wedding you planned."

She gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek and dashed down the hall. In the process, she nearly ran into Jasper, who had an amused expression.

"This is good," Bella mumbled around a mouthful of muffin, "blueberries."

"Esme, aren't you going to have yours?" Alice asked, pointing at the untouched bottle of blood.

"I'm a little too nervous right now," Esme sighed. She pushed it away, but Bella pushed it back towards her.

"Drink it now. I heard it's nasty when it gets cold."

"Knock, knock," Jasper said, standing in the doorway. Alice's face flushed and she looked down at the floor.

"Jasper, we've got a shaky bride," Melody said, "can you fix it?"

Jasper came closer to Esme. Suddenly, waves of calm washed over all of them. Esme's stomach unclenched and she looked up into his golden eyes.

"How did you do that?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted, "I've been able to do it since I was very young. That's why I'm in training to be a psychologist."

"Thank you." She hugged him gratefully and sipped at the blood.

"Anything for my sister-in-law," he said affectionately.

"You girls should probably go get dressed, too," Esme told them.

"I'll help you," Melody said, shepherding them out the door.

"I better go check on Carlisle," Jasper said, patting Esme on the shoulder. He quietly closed the door behind him.

It was the first time she'd been alone all morning. Esme rose from her chair and wandered toward the double glass doors. The sun was pouring in through them. She stepped out onto the balcony and gazed at the land spreading out there.

_I've been so lucky,_ she thought, _I get to share all of this with Carlisle. I'll never have to worry about being alone again. It's better than a fairy-tale…._

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned her head. Staring into her own golden eyes was none other than her future husband.

"Isn't it supposed to be bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?" she asked.

"Only if you're a human," he teased, "I never did understand that silly superstition."

"Me neither."

She slid into his embrace. He smelled good; she couldn't identify the scent. His hair was neatly parted and each golden strand was perfectly in place. He felt firm and warm in her arms and she was surprised that he had once had the iciest touch she'd ever felt.

"Nervous?" he asked her.

"A little. Not so much now," she said, "I owe that to Jasper."

His hands on her back held more reassurance than any words he could say in that moment.

"It's going to be wonderful," he said, "you and Adam and I will be a real family…not that we weren't already, but now I'll never have to be afraid of letting you go."

"Where is Adam, anyway?" Esme asked.

"Emmett's got him downstairs. He thought it would be a good idea to feed him before trying to stuff him into that little tuxedo Rosalie insisted on."

"He's growing so fast. He's already learning how to talk; he'll be starting nursery school soon."

"One thing at a time," Carlisle told her.

He pulled her more tightly against him.

"We'll worry about all that later. For now, it's just about us."

She felt herself melt when he kissed her.

"Now…I'll have to go downstairs."

"But—"

"Trust me—this is my way of making sure we don't miss our own wedding. I'll see you at the altar."

He kissed her again, leaving her dizzy and weak. She watched his retreating back and smiled.

_**That**__ is the best looking, most sweet man I've ever met,_ she thought.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, the guests were seated and the wedding party was assembled. Bella and Alice were allowed to wear special uniforms so that they would fit in more with the rest of the guests. It seemed that half of the country had shown up for this wedding—even Professor Hart had received an invitation. Bella noticed him sitting on the front row with one of his books.

"I bet you anything it's a science fiction novel," Emmett whispered to her, "he's a sucker for those."

Bella pretended to understand, but she didn't have a clue what a science fiction novel was.

"Oh, no. Here they come," Alice whispered.

None other than Aro, Alec, and Jane were there. Tagging along with them was a woman who looked as if nothing pleased her. This, Alice guessed, was Sulpicia. The children were sulking which made her think Aro had jumped down their throats about proper behavior. They all sat down without a word and the ceremony began.

It was decided that Emmett would give Esme away since she had no living relatives besides Bella and Alice. The ceremony went quite smoothly even though a pigeon nearly bombed the happy couple from overhead. Alice had to struggle not to get the giggles. A tap on the shoulder from Professor Hart immediately solved that problem. She glanced backward at him. The rest of his face was still as stone, but his eyes had a slight twinkle and she knew he had nearly laughed as well.

The heat from the unusually warm day was making them all drowsy and the heavily perfumed air from the flowers didn't help. At last, the preacher pronounced them man and wife and everyone woke up.

The reception was held in the gardens. The humans ate some exotic dish that Esme had never even heard of. Many of them ate in the grass on picnic blankets. The vampires drank the richest, sweetest blood that had been imported from the best farms.

"It has been my experience that treating them well causes their blood to be of higher quality," Professor Hart was saying to another vampire, "overcrowding, underfeeding, and overworking makes their blood bitter and scant. They may as well be eating garlic for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—awful stuff. It makes for a very uncomfortable night."

Alice's giggles spilled over and she had to walk away.

"What's so funny?" Bella asked.

"I know why vampires don't like garlic!" Alice laughed.

"Professor Hart seems to be having a good time," Emmett commented, "I wonder if he realizes I spiked his glass when he wasn't looking."

They all shared a good laugh.

"I'll bet this is a night he doesn't forget…or maybe he will after all. Don't count on him to be this much fun later."

"Ahem!"

The laughter exploded out of the girls as a guilty Emmett turned around to face Professor Hart.

"Are you forgetting that you were the only student in my class who nearly failed?" Professor Hart asked coldly.

"No, sir. You reminded me of it on a regular basis," Emmett said, still smiling.

"Perhaps if you had done your assignments, you would have found me much more agreeable," he said.

The two vampires could have been related. They were of equal size and equal weight, at least 6' 2" and at least 220 pounds apiece. Both had brown hair though Emmett's was cut very short for the wedding and Professor Hart's was neatly parted. For a tense few seconds, Bella wondered if the book was going to end up implanted in Emmett's brain.

Professor Hart, however, seemed to have better things to do than box Emmett around.

"Let us hope that these girls make better students than you did," he said stiffly. They watched him disappear into the crowd.

"Emmett, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Bella asked.

"Nah. I'm just having some fun. The old stuffed shirt doesn't get out enough anyway. Too much living in his own head and not enough action," Emmett said with a suggestive wink.

Rosalie motioned to Emmett. She looked stunning in her ruby red dress and gold jewelry.

"On that note, I have a wife to dance with. See you later."

The first dance, of course, belonged to Carlisle and Esme. Melody, of course, was singing on the makeshift stage. She wore a stunning short black dress with turquoise flowers and Lucas looked equally as stunning in a matching tuxedo. They were looking at each other more than they were at the crowd.

Alice sat on the bench by the fountain, chin on her hand. She watched her sister, daydreams surfacing in her mind. Bella had gone inside to get another serving tray since hers was depleted. Alice knew she should help her sister, but she didn't feel like moving right now.

"Something on your mind?" Jasper asked, pulling her out of her reverie.

"Are Esme and Carlisle leaving us?" she asked.

"Not permanently. They'll just be going on a little vacation and then they'll be home," he said, sitting down beside her.

"I'm always afraid we'll get separated," Alice confessed, "we've worked so hard to stay together for so long."

He wrapped an arm around her. Some of the vampires seemed shocked and most were disapproving, but he didn't move it.

"We're not letting you three go anywhere," he told her, "we're much too attached to you girls."

Alice's heart filled with warmth.

"You're a long way from being the marrying age," he said quietly, almost whispering it in her ear, "but I hope you'd consider me sometime in the future."

Tears filled her eyes and she wiped them away with a trembling hand. Her other hand squeezed his tightly. The slightest hint of a purr vibrated from his throat.

The evening fell and the party was waning rapidly. By twilight, the house was empty except for the guests that were staying overnight. The cleanup was already underway by the time the moon began to rise. Carlisle and Esme had just boarded their plane and were on their way to a nice tropical island.

Alice was picking up empty bottles and plates with one hand and carrying the trash bag in the other. Jasper was folding up the tables and carrying them to the truck. Bella and Melody were inside cleaning up the first floor which was a big mess. Rosalie and Emmett had gone off to God-knows-where and implied that they wanted to be left alone. The wedding was officially over.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Sorry the updates have taken so long and I apologize ahead of time for writing mistakes: it's final exam week here on campus and being a senior level student has taxed the crap out of my time. Summer is iffy; updates may be a little sporadic but please bear with me. I won't abandon this story. I know this chapter's kind of short, but it's the best I can do right now. Thanks again for all the reviews

The plane ride was fairly uneventful. Carlisle's arm was around Esme and she was resting against him. Since she had just slept last night, there was no tiredness in the physical sense. Today had gone in such a rush…she'd hardly had time to take it all in. They'd made two stops, but Carlisle had promised her that they were very close to their destination. A boat ride later found them on a small island.

"This island is owned by our family," Carlisle said, taking the suitcases from the small foreign man on the boat, "we can stay here as long as we want."

There was a house up ahead, small and white. It looked like a little cottage. Bright tropical flowers, some as big as Esme's spread out hand, were blooming everywhere. The heavily perfumed air was almost too much for her vampire senses to handle. The kitchen was stocked with fresh bottles of blood and sparkling crystal dishes. The east side of the house had a wonderful view of the ocean and the west side had a wonderful view of the jungle. Night had fallen and Esme busied herself with unpacking their things. Carlisle gently took the suitcase out of her hands and unceremoniously dumped it on the dresser.

"There's time for that later," he said suggestively, "we have all the time in the world."

Esme would have blushed brightly if she'd been human. He seemed to pick up on the slight nervousness and kissed her on the cheek.

"Want to go swimming?" he asked.

"Sure," she said uneasily.

"I'll meet you out there," he said, stroking her cheek. She watched him unlatch the second story window and dive out as if it were a mere three feet. He barely made a sound when he landed and she heard the rustle of clothes. When she finally worked up the nerve to look down, she saw his clothes hanging on a tree branch. A glistening patch lit by the moonlight indicated where he was in the water.

"He's seen me naked once," Esme reminded herself, "why am I making such a big deal of this?"

She rifled through the suitcase but could find nothing resembling a swimsuit. Stripping down to the lacy undergarments and leaving the wedding dress on a chair, she dove after Carlisle.

It startled her when Carlisle's arms encircled her waist. It was okay that he held her here under the water; oxygen was desirable but not necessary. She watched in awe as a group of tropical fish passed by them. Darkness meant nothing to her; she could still see in perfect clarity though the colors were different.

They swam under water for God only knew how long. When they finally broke the surface again, the moon had risen high in the sky.

"It's getting late," Carlisle commented before they dissolved into laughter. Time…who needed time anyway? All it did was make you age and worry and panic over things. They had all the time in the world…it was heavenly. She gazed up at the sky and the stars seemed endless. In her human vision, they had seemed like mere pinpricks of light. Now, each seemed to come to life. They had their own colors and she could figure out which ones were closer.

"I never get tired of looking at them," Carlisle answered her thoughts, "it's like they draw their own patterns if you look closely enough…I mean besides the zodiac signs."

They came to rest in the shallow surf. The water was pleasantly cool as it whooshed in and out over them. Carlisle smiled and kissed her, his movements keeping time with the surf. They came together under the moon as the tide came in. They didn't stop until the sky lightened with a powerful sunrise.

The day dawned warm and muggy, but the heat and dampness didn't affect them. Esme marveled at the ability to swim underwater without needing to resurface and breathe. They swam all the way to where the coral reefs were. They chased after the brightly colored tropical fish and watched a dolphin pod go by. After a quick blood break, they went exploring in the jungles.

Esme caught the scent of something that smelled absolutely amazing. A growling sound came from overhead. A panther was crouched in the tree limb above them.

She turned to look at Carlisle, whose eyes had suddenly gone black despite having just drank.

"Is it okay if…" she started to ask, but Carlisle had already sprung. He slammed into the panther and knocked it out of the tree. His teeth snapped into the panther's jugular vein and the acidic smell of venom permeated the air.

"Come on," he said huskily to Esme, "have some."

She sank her teeth into the other side of the giant cat's neck.

_Oh, my…._

It was strange how the blood seemed to taste better directly out of the arteries. The flavor was richer and the texture was much smoother. It pooled like velvet in the bottom of her stomach and it even seemed to sate her appetite better.

Carlisle raised up and licked the blood off of his lips. His eyes were once again the bright golden that she was accustomed to.

"Now you see why we take our hunting trips every now and then," he told her, "not only does the blood taste better, we satisfy our natural instincts as well. Every now and then, it's good for us…it keeps us out of trouble with humans."

Esme nodded.

"And yes, it's perfectly okay to hunt here. This island is owned by our family, so the animals are all literally fair game."

"Can we hunt for dinner as well?"

"Absolutely. Now, what would you like to do in the meantime?"

She laughed awkwardly.

"I was actually hoping just to lounge around in that nice living room and watch a movie."

"All right. Let's go."

His suggestive smile said that they probably wouldn't even make it through the credits.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Sorry about the long wait…I was having Internet problems because I moved. Nobody told me that the connection would kick me off every five minutes. Hopefully it's no longer an issue.

Bella sat at the table, pencil in hand. She was trying to finish Professor Hart's latest assignment. She and Alice were getting better at reading simple words, so he had introduced them to simple math. It got frustrating at times; though the addition problems were easy, she kept having to count on her fingers. Sometimes even then she made mistakes. Alice was better at math, but had some trouble with spelling. He had said that they could help each other if they wanted to, but they had to do the work on their own first. At least now, they could read smaller words. Every day, they practiced reading out loud either to each other or to the boys.

"I see Hart's been here recently," Edward commented as he stuck a bottle of blood in the microwave. He could have easily told her to do it, but decided not to.

"Yeah…he has," Bella said irritably. She didn't care for math.

"Feel like taking a break?" Edward asked.

"The rate I'm going, I'll never get this finished," she mumbled. There were two very long columns of addition on the page. She wasn't even finished with the first column. Alice was in the library working on her spelling. The reason they had parted ways was because they had a tendency to start talking and forget what they were doing.

"How long have you been sitting there?" Edward asked.

Bella slowly got up from the chair. Her bottom ached, her back ached, and she had to blink several times. The phantoms of the numbers floated before her eyes for a split second, then disappeared and didn't return.

"A long time, I guess," she said, stretching to pop her back.

"Come on," Edward told her, "let's go running."

"I can't run as fast as you can," she protested.

"Just come on," he urged her.

She sighed and followed him.

"My new computer came in yesterday, but it's in the next town," he told her, "I can wait for them to drive all the way over here and deliver it, or I can go get it myself. My old one's worthless now because the hard drive went out in it."

"But…can't you just drive?" Bella asked.

"Where's the fun in that? It's rush hour. Vampires get in traffic jams, too, you know."

He bent down.

"Climb on my back."

Bella stared at him.

"What?"

"Climb on my back," he urged her. It took her a couple of tries, but she managed to get her arms around his shoulders and legs around his middle.

"Now, hang on!"

Suddenly, the world lurched into motion. It seemed as though Edward wasn't moving at all, but the whole world was speeding by around him. He didn't jar her at all—his glide was smoother than any car she'd ever ridden in. The speed made her feel queasy at first, but she gradually got used to the blurs of colors passing by. The cars, even though they were vampire-driven, seemed to crawl as he zipped past them. They reached an overpass.

"NO!" Bella screamed, but Edward did it anyway. He launched himself into the air and they flew over a sea of moving cars. He landed smoothly and safely on the other side of the road, far away from any cars.

"Oh my God, Edward!" Bella gasped, obviously frightened. Her adrenaline had a sharp, burning smell to him.

"Did I scare you?" he asked, laughing.

"I nearly left a puddle on your back! Can you at least warn me before you do that again?" she snapped.

Edward's laughter increased. The more angry Bella seemed to get at him, the funnier he thought it was. She cuffed him on the back of the head, but the touch was feather-light to him.

"Hang on," he said finally, "we're almost there."

And he took off again.

They reached the post office. At a safe distance, Edward put Bella down so that no one would stare. She smoothed her dress and her hair and they went inside.

"I'm here to pick up a package," Edward said, his voice suddenly hard and demanding, "some dipstick delivered it here by mistake."

"Terribly sorry, sir," the vampire woman behind the counter said, "I'll get it for you."

Bella stared. This version of Edward scared her; she supposed this was what people expected him to be like.

She returned, carrying the box. Edward thrust it into Bella's hands, almost knocking her over with the force.

"Here's the refund on the shipping," the woman said timidly, counting out the money in Edward's hand, "we're sorry for this inconvenience."

"Good," Edward snapped, "don't let it happen again."

Bella followed him outside with the box. It wasn't horribly heavy, but she was shaking so hard she could hardly carry it. First with the jump, then this, she was very shaken.

"I'll take the box," Edward told her, "get on my back again."

She handed it to him.

"What was that all about?" she asked, stunned.

"Ah, they expect me to be like that," he told her, "when we're out in public, I have to treat you like a regular slave until you're changed. Don't take it personally…you know how I really feel."

"Okay…"

She situated herself on his back. This time, she expected the leap and it didn't frighten her so badly. They reached the house in hardly any time at all. She estimated that the trip had taken five minutes or less.

"Why are you worried about what they think?" Bella asked as they took the computer upstairs.

"Because that's the way the world is," Edward said, "we're a very powerful political family. We're being watched all the time. I'm amazed that Carlisle changing Esme and Melody wasn't really highly publicized. If we get caught acting strange, it brings scrutiny on our dad and we don't want him losing his job. They see being good to their slaves as a weakness."

Bella nodded. She remembered how Edward had kept his distance from her at the wedding and had been wondering about that.

"I hate it," Edward said, "you're way too stubborn to be a slave."

She smiled. Edward pried the box open and pulled out the new laptop. It smelled like new plastic and booted up very quickly.

"Do vampires think computers are slow?" she asked.

"Yes, we do."

She laughed.

"Wait until you see lightning from vampire vision," Edward told her, "you can actually tolerate the brightness and see the patterns it makes."

"I look forward to it," she said, watching the screen change colors.

"There it is," Edward said, "now I have to save all this stuff. You can bring your 'homework' up here if you want."

The temptation was big enough that she took him up on it. While Edward transferred things from his flash drive onto the computer, Bella continued working on her math. At last, she finished. Edward took the paper and looked over it.

"I see three mistakes," he said, "here, here, and here."

That surprised Bella. There were at least twenty problems on that page.

"You're still slow," he told her, "but you're making less mistakes. That's good."

She reworked the three problems.

"Now," Edward said, "put that stuff away, I have something else for you to do."

His father would have a heart attack if he knew, but Edward didn't really care.

"Sit right there," he said, pointing to a chair, "this will only take a second."

He rifled around in the cabinet under the giant TV and pulled out the controllers for his games. The first two looked like musical instruments.

"You want me to play games with you?" Bella asked, stunned.

"Yeah…that's what I got it out for," Edward said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But…"

"No buts. You're still mine, right? This falls under your job description. Your job for the evening is to entertain me."

Bella shrugged and took the controller for the guitar.

"Now," Edward said, scrolling through the options, "all you have to do is hit the color that comes up on the screen. Make sure you hit the strummer bar too or it won't count. Let's see if you can get through a whole song."

The controller he had resembled a drum set. They started on what was supposed to be an easy song. Bella kept messing up and Edward kept having to save her.

"Oops," she muttered when she lost the game for both of them.

"It's only your first try. Now, watch."

He showed her a few shortcuts. It took her a few tries to get through an entire song, but she picked it up by bedtime. She didn't have very high accuracy ratings, but at least she could make it through an entire song. Her fingers ached terribly and she saw scrolling colors when she closed her eyes.

"Bedtime for the human," Edward announced, taking the guitar out of her hand, "let's go."

He kissed her in such a way that she was definitely awake after that. Though she wanted to stay with him, she didn't say so. Alice was already asleep when she laid down and Esme's bed, as expected, was empty. Though she knew Esme wouldn't ever sleep in the servant's quarters again, she missed her sister being in the house. She hoped that Esme and Carlisle would be home soon.


	27. Chapter 27

Though the honeymoon would be something to remember forever, Esme was going to be glad to see her sisters. They left the island behind filled with good memories and a readiness to be home.

Alice was playing with Adam and Bella was making the beds when they heard the familiar car engine. Though they were on the first floor, Edward and Jasper beat them outside. Everyone was talking at once. Adam wanted his mother and hugged Esme's legs. He had grown very fast and was almost completely out of diapers now, much to Esme's relief. They rushed to get the suitcases in and dinner was a very joyous occasion.

"When did Adam start talking?" Esme asked, stunned.

"While you were gone. He almost drove Professor Hart crazy," Bella laughed, "he kept mimicking everything he said!"

Edward and Jasper had both been gone during lessons one day and Adam had to be watched or he'd get into _everything._ At first, Professor Hart hadn't minded because Adam was occupied with his toys. Then, Adam decided to start repeating everything that Professor Hart was saying. After a while, it was enough to drive _anyone_ crazy. Adam had also been repeating everything that everyone else had said. One had to be careful at this age…

"Please have a babysitter next time," a frustrated Hart said, "he's quite a distraction."

He had been attempting to wrestle an ink pen away from Adam, but he wasn't fast enough. Adam chomped down on the pen and blue ink bled everywhere. After getting Adam cleaned up, Professor Hart had decided to dismiss them a little early.

"I still expect you to have your assignments finished when I return," he had said.

The next time he came, Jasper kept Adam out in the garden. Unfortunately, Bella and Alice still remembered and got the giggles at times.

Both of them could now read children's books and they could add and subtract. Multiplication was hard, but they slowly getting the hang of it. Professor Hart was pleased with their progress and didn't scold them nearly as much as he praised them. When Aro had given him a phone call to check up on things, he had given a good report. Once, when Bella had gone to the store to pick up that week's supply of blood, the vampire running the counter had almost short-changed her. Bella called him on the mistake and he grudgingly gave her the additional change.

"Very good," Professor Hart commented, "I see that Aro knew what he was talking about."

That was the day, they said jokingly, that they realized Hart could smile.

The heat of summer gave in to crisp, cool fall. Carlisle asked which of the two sisters was ready to become a vampire. Alice was still nervous, so she decided to let Bella go first. Then, something happened that they never quite expected.

Something was wrong with Adam. He had become fussy and irritable lately. Carlisle had been unable to find anything wrong with him, so he just assumed that the vampire toddler was going through a growth spurt.

"Maybe he just needs to hunt," Edward suggested.

No one really took his suggestion to heart, but Carlisle found himself wishing he had.

The day started out like any other. Bella and Alice were sitting at the kitchen table with their latest assignments. Jasper was on his way home for the weekend. Edward was watching TV. Carlisle and Esme were helping a patient in the little hospital area.

Adam came up to Bella. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except that he had an odd look on his face.

"What is it, Adam? Are you hungry?"

He nodded.

"All right. I'll get you fixed up."

She lifted him up and was going to put him in the high chair when his lips grazed her neck. Bella just thought he was giving her a kiss. Then, suddenly, a sharp pain burned there.

"Bella!" Alice yelled.

Bella tried to let him go, but Adam's arms and legs wrapped around her in a vice-like grip. The stinging venom paralyzed her and she fell. She could feel him sucking voraciously.

"CARLISLE! ESME! HELP!" Alice yelled.

The two of them were there almost instantly. It took both of them to pry Adam loose. Deprived of his "kill", Adam snarled and tried to pull loose.

Edward and Jasper ran in to see what was going on.

"Oh, my-"

The wound in Bella's neck was spraying blood. Edward ran his tongue over the puncture wound and tried not to think about how good her blood tasted. His saliva caused the wound to seal shut, but it was too late—the venom had already been injected. A thin trickle of it dribbled down Adam's chin.

"We have to take her to the hospital," Carlisle said, "I don't have the equipment to deal with it here."

"I told you we should have let him hunt!" Edward sighed.

"Fine, take him, then."

Everyone split up. Adam was still behaving like a wild animal.

"What's going on?"

Emmett had just walked in.

"We need your help!"

Within a few minutes, Jasper and Emmett had taken Adam into the woods and turned him loose. Carlisle, Edward, Esme, and Alice had gone with Bella to the hospital. Rosalie stayed at the house. In a rare moment of niceness, she cleaned up the puddle of blood and venom in the kitchen.

"Good God, look at him," Emmett commented as soon as he'd released the screaming and squirming Adam. In less than three minutes, Adam had taken down a deer and drained it dry. It wasn't a clean killing, either. The poor animal had struggled and made several pained noises before Adam's venom had ended its life.

No matter how civilized that the vampires became, it appeared that the instinct still refused to disappear.

"With all the other stuff going on, I guess we forgot about Adam," Jasper admitted, "I forget that they need to hunt once in a while just like we do. He was just such a good kid…I never thought he'd hurt Bella."

"I don't think he really meant to," Emmett commented, watching Adam feed, "I think he just got carried away. He still hasn't figured out how to tell us what he wants. He's never been hunting before, so how would he know why he feels like biting someone?"

Adam's crazed thirst had been satisfied. Tired, he lay down and would have used the deer corpse as a pillow if Emmett hadn't picked him up.

"Feel better?" he asked sympathetically. The toddler nodded.

"We'll stay here for a while. Then if you're still hungry when you wake up, you can go again. Sound good?"

Adam yawned and fell asleep. While he slept safely in the grass, Emmett and Jasper took advantage of it and hunted a little themselves. After a while, Adam woke and squirmed uncomfortably. He had never eaten this much in one sitting, therefore he was unaccustomed to all the pressure on his tummy. Emmett and Jasper couldn't help but laugh when he pulled his pants down right there in the middle of the field.

"Poor kid," Emmett laughed, "I bet that's at least ten pounds of water weight."

"That's one part of childhood I will never miss," Jasper commented. Adult vampires didn't digest as quickly, so the fluid came out in smaller increments.

Before they finally did get to go home, Adam killed one more deer. He only drained it halfway, however, and then he was uncomfortably full. He would not need to hunt for a very, very long time.

"How's Bella?" Emmett asked, carrying a half-asleep Adam.

"I just talked to Edward," Rosalie answered, "they had to do an emergency transformation. She almost didn't survive Adam's bite. Carlisle says it was a close call. Baby venom is a lot more dangerous than ours is, I guess."

"Wow…well, Carlisle said he was going to change her, I just didn't know it was going to be so soon," Jasper commented.

He took Adam to the bathroom first, then lay him down in his bed. He didn't want to have to deal with a major mess on top of everything else. Adam went right to sleep and didn't fuss. He had tired himself out.

When he woke up three hours later, he demanded to know where Bella and Alice were. They all hoped he would forget, but he would remember regardless of how good the distraction was. The vampire brain was a blessing as well as a curse. When none of the three sisters appeared, he started to wail at the top of his lungs. Eventually, he cried himself to sleep and he stayed asleep after that.

The adults all looked at each other in knowing: Adam had just experienced his first guilt trip.

Back at the hospital, Bella was fighting for her life. Carlisle didn't dare leave for fear something would happen to her. Esme stayed as well. She sent Alice home though Alice insisted on staying.

"You need to get some sleep," Esme told her, "worrying isn't going to make her get better."

Alice listened only because she knew Esme was concerned, too. Her only consolation was that Jasper was waiting for her at the house.

Alice's fear, sadness, and disbelief hit him like a shock wave. Jasper kissed her tear-streaked face and held her. He concentrated for a second and the calm washed over both of them. Adam, who was nearby, stopped fussing so much and crawled across the floor though he was perfectly capable of walking.

Alice picked him up when he tugged on her skirt.

"You didn't mean it, did you? I know you love Bella," she whispered.

"Want Bella," the toddler demanded, "where's Bella?"

"Hopefully she'll come home soon," Alice sighed.

Adam was still cross after that, but he didn't offer to hurt anyone and he didn't scream or throw a fit. Instead, he just sat around and sulked. Somehow, he knew he'd hurt Bella and he didn't know why. He was still trying to connect the dots.

"I want my mommy."

Despite their anxiety, Alice could only smile.


	28. Chapter 28

Though the honeymoon would be something to remember forever, Esme was going to be glad to see her sisters. They left the island behind filled with good memories and a readiness to be home.

Alice was playing with Adam and Bella was making the beds when they heard the familiar car engine. Though they were on the first floor, Edward and Jasper beat them outside. Everyone was talking at once. Adam wanted his mother and hugged Esme's legs. He had grown very fast and was almost completely out of diapers now, much to Esme's relief. They rushed to get the suitcases in and dinner was a very joyous occasion.

"When did Adam start talking?" Esme asked, stunned.

"While you were gone. He almost drove Professor Hart crazy," Bella laughed, "he kept mimicking everything he said!"

Edward and Jasper had both been gone during lessons one day and Adam had to be watched or he'd get into _everything._ At first, Professor Hart hadn't minded because Adam was occupied with his toys. Then, Adam decided to start repeating everything that Professor Hart was saying. After a while, it was enough to drive _anyone_ crazy. Adam had also been repeating everything that everyone else had said. One had to be careful at this age…

"Please have a babysitter next time," a frustrated Hart said, "he's quite a distraction."

He had been attempting to wrestle an ink pen away from Adam, but he wasn't fast enough. Adam chomped down on the pen and blue ink bled everywhere. After getting Adam cleaned up, Professor Hart had decided to dismiss them a little early.

"I still expect you to have your assignments finished when I return," he had said.

The next time he came, Jasper kept Adam out in the garden. Unfortunately, Bella and Alice still remembered and got the giggles at times.

Both of them could now read children's books and they could add and subtract. Multiplication was hard, but they slowly getting the hang of it. Professor Hart was pleased with their progress and didn't scold them nearly as much as he praised them. When Aro had given him a phone call to check up on things, he had given a good report. Once, when Bella had gone to the store to pick up that week's supply of blood, the vampire running the counter had almost short-changed her. Bella called him on the mistake and he grudgingly gave her the additional change.

"Very good," Professor Hart commented, "I see that Aro knew what he was talking about."

That was the day, they said jokingly, that they realized Hart could smile.

The heat of summer gave in to crisp, cool fall. Carlisle asked which of the two sisters was ready to become a vampire. Alice was still nervous, so she decided to let Bella go first. Then, something happened that they never quite expected.

Something was wrong with Adam. He had become fussy and irritable lately. Carlisle had been unable to find anything wrong with him, so he just assumed that the vampire toddler was going through a growth spurt.

"Maybe he just needs to hunt," Edward suggested.

No one really took his suggestion to heart, but Carlisle found himself wishing he had.

The day started out like any other. Bella and Alice were sitting at the kitchen table with their latest assignments. Jasper was on his way home for the weekend. Edward was watching TV. Carlisle and Esme were helping a patient in the little hospital area.

Adam came up to Bella. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except that he had an odd look on his face.

"What is it, Adam? Are you hungry?"

He nodded.

"All right. I'll get you fixed up."

She lifted him up and was going to put him in the high chair when his lips grazed her neck. Bella just thought he was giving her a kiss. Then, suddenly, a sharp pain burned there.

"Bella!" Alice yelled.

Bella tried to let him go, but Adam's arms and legs wrapped around her in a vice-like grip. The stinging venom paralyzed her and she fell. She could feel him sucking voraciously.

"CARLISLE! ESME! HELP!" Alice yelled.

The two of them were there almost instantly. It took both of them to pry Adam loose. Deprived of his "kill", Adam snarled and tried to pull loose.

Edward and Jasper ran in to see what was going on.

"Oh, my-"

The wound in Bella's neck was spraying blood. Edward ran his tongue over the puncture wound and tried not to think about how good her blood tasted. His saliva caused the wound to seal shut, but it was too late—the venom had already been injected. A thin trickle of it dribbled down Adam's chin.

"We have to take her to the hospital," Carlisle said, "I don't have the equipment to deal with it here."

"I told you we should have let him hunt!" Edward sighed.

"Fine, take him, then."

Everyone split up. Adam was still behaving like a wild animal.

"What's going on?"

Emmett had just walked in.

"We need your help!"

Within a few minutes, Jasper and Emmett had taken Adam into the woods and turned him loose. Carlisle, Edward, Esme, and Alice had gone with Bella to the hospital. Rosalie stayed at the house. In a rare moment of niceness, she cleaned up the puddle of blood and venom in the kitchen.

"Good God, look at him," Emmett commented as soon as he'd released the screaming and squirming Adam. In less than three minutes, Adam had taken down a deer and drained it dry. It wasn't a clean killing, either. The poor animal had struggled and made several pained noises before Adam's venom had ended its life.

No matter how civilized that the vampires became, it appeared that the instinct still refused to disappear.

"With all the other stuff going on, I guess we forgot about Adam," Jasper admitted, "I forget that they need to hunt once in a while just like we do. He was just such a good kid…I never thought he'd hurt Bella."

"I don't think he really meant to," Emmett commented, watching Adam feed, "I think he just got carried away. He still hasn't figured out how to tell us what he wants. He's never been hunting before, so how would he know why he feels like biting someone?"

Adam's crazed thirst had been satisfied. Tired, he lay down and would have used the deer corpse as a pillow if Emmett hadn't picked him up.

"Feel better?" he asked sympathetically. The toddler nodded.

"We'll stay here for a while. Then if you're still hungry when you wake up, you can go again. Sound good?"

Adam yawned and fell asleep. While he slept safely in the grass, Emmett and Jasper took advantage of it and hunted a little themselves. After a while, Adam woke and squirmed uncomfortably. He had never eaten this much in one sitting, therefore he was unaccustomed to all the pressure on his tummy. Emmett and Jasper couldn't help but laugh when he pulled his pants down right there in the middle of the field.

"Poor kid," Emmett laughed, "I bet that's at least ten pounds of water weight."

"That's one part of childhood I will never miss," Jasper commented. Adult vampires didn't digest as quickly, so the fluid came out in smaller increments.

Before they finally did get to go home, Adam killed one more deer. He only drained it halfway, however, and then he was uncomfortably full. He would not need to hunt for a very, very long time.

"How's Bella?" Emmett asked, carrying a half-asleep Adam.

"I just talked to Edward," Rosalie answered, "they had to do an emergency transformation. She almost didn't survive Adam's bite. Carlisle says it was a close call. Baby venom is a lot more dangerous than ours is, I guess."

"Wow…well, Carlisle said he was going to change her, I just didn't know it was going to be so soon," Jasper commented.

He took Adam to the bathroom first, then lay him down in his bed. He didn't want to have to deal with a major mess on top of everything else. Adam went right to sleep and didn't fuss. He had tired himself out.

When he woke up three hours later, he demanded to know where Bella and Alice were. They all hoped he would forget, but he would remember regardless of how good the distraction was. The vampire brain was a blessing as well as a curse. When none of the three sisters appeared, he started to wail at the top of his lungs. Eventually, he cried himself to sleep and he stayed asleep after that.

The adults all looked at each other in knowing: Adam had just experienced his first guilt trip.

Back at the hospital, Bella was fighting for her life. Carlisle didn't dare leave for fear something would happen to her. Esme stayed as well. She sent Alice home though Alice insisted on staying.

"You need to get some sleep," Esme told her, "worrying isn't going to make her get better."

Alice listened only because she knew Esme was concerned, too. Her only consolation was that Jasper was waiting for her at the house.

Alice's fear, sadness, and disbelief hit him like a shock wave. Jasper kissed her tear-streaked face and held her. He concentrated for a second and the calm washed over both of them. Adam, who was nearby, stopped fussing so much and crawled across the floor though he was perfectly capable of walking.

Alice picked him up when he tugged on her skirt.

"You didn't mean it, did you? I know you love Bella," she whispered.

"Want Bella," the toddler demanded, "where's Bella?"

"Hopefully she'll come home soon," Alice sighed.

Adam was still cross after that, but he didn't offer to hurt anyone and he didn't scream or throw a fit. Instead, he just sat around and sulked. Somehow, he knew he'd hurt Bella and he didn't know why. He was still trying to connect the dots.

"I want my mommy."

Despite their anxiety, Alice could only smile.


	29. Chapter 29

It had been one of the longest nights in Edward's life. He couldn't remembered the last time he'd prayed to God, but he was doing it tonight. Carlisle had given Bella a blood transfusion in hopes that it would help the venom spread and heal her faster. Her heartbeat was beginning to speed up, which was a promising sign. Esme had gone home and taken Alice with her at Edward's insistence. It was an argument that she knew they would lose.

"Hey…I heard what happened," Melody's voice said. Edward glanced up. It still never ceased to amaze him how clear her eyes were, how intelligent she sounded. Her voice was even more melodic now that she was a vampire.

"It was nice of you to come," Edward thanked her, "you didn't have to."

"I did," Melody argued, "those three girls stood up for me when no one else could or when those who would weren't around."

She chose her words carefully because she didn't want to accuse Edward of not protecting her.

"Where's Lucas?" Edward asked.

"He's at the studio working late," Melody said warmly, "we wrote a song together. He bought out the studio and gave it to me as a wedding present. Isn't that sweet?"

Her smile was contagious.

"He still has trouble with Cathy dropping in uninvited," she admitted, "but I told him I trusted him. He hates her."

Melody glanced down at the still, pale figure in the bed and placed the flower arrangement on the bedside table. They were bright sunflowers and daisies.

"Even when my brain was damaged," Melody commented, "I knew you two were going to end up together. Especially after that awkward moment in the bathroom."

"You saw that?"

Despite his embarrassment, Edward laughed.

"By accident," she answered, "I saw the look on Bella's face. I thought it was hilarious. I didn't really know what she'd seen and I couldn't ask even if I wanted to."

Those days seemed like they were very long ago. It was strange how something that had happened so long ago felt like yesterday.

"Speaking of awkward moments," Edward said, still smiling, "Professor Hart came by here earlier. He really didn't know what to do…he just stood there for a minute. Then, he said 'make sure she catches up on her lessons when she wakes up' and left. I had to give the guy some credit…he said 'when' and not 'if'. Apparently, he'd miss her if something happened just as much as the rest of us would."

"I saw him on my way in," Melody commented, "he told me to quit saying 'yeah' all the time. He's hardcore, apparently."

They shared another laugh.

"Are you going to marry her?" Melody finally asked.

"I want to," Edward answered uneasily, "I just hope I didn't wait too long to do it. We're both still in school…sort of…"

Melody nodded.

"At least you're not as far apart in years as Jasper and Alice are. I feel sorry for them."

"Alice is a grown woman in a tiny little girl's body," Edward replied, "she already acts like she's in her twenties. None of us even notice the age difference. Jasper wants her to get a little older before we change her. He doesn't want everyone making a big deal out of the age difference. It will be much harder to tell once she's a little older."

"I'll be glad when they're all changed," Melody confessed, "they seem to attract trouble like magnets."

"Especially that one," Edward sighed, placing his hand on Bella's.

"Do you want me to stay here with you? I slept last night," Melody commented, "I could keep you company."

"What about Lucas?"

"What about him? He's working. Time might as well not even exist to a vampire artist! He'll probably have worked for three days at least before he notices I'm missing."

Edward shrugged.

"All right. Do you mind staying here for a minute? I have a phone call to make."

"No problem."

Edward went outside. He knew he could have used the hospital's phones, but he also wanted a breath of fresh air. Taking the cell phone out of his pocket, he dialed the number for home.

"Edward! How is she?"

Jasper was the one to pick up the phone.

"She's stable now, I think," Edward said, "Carlisle gave her a transfusion. He had to go through all kinds of Hell to get it. Apparently, some of his colleagues didn't see eye to eye with him. They really made him angry when they said she was just a worthless human."

Jasper knew it went without saying that Edward had been upset as well.

"How's Alice holding up?"

"She's dealing with it as best as she can. She's not at all happy that you dropped her and Esme off here earlier. She says to wait until she's a newborn, then she's going to bite you for making her go through this."

Edward laughed.

"Tell her she's welcome to, just make sure it's a day I don't need to be somewhere. I don't regret that decision. I figured she'd be better off with you."

Jasper knew that Edward was implying that he use his gift of calming people.

"She's asleep now. It took forever to get her there. She was pretty upset. She says she'll never forget seeing so much blood. We got it all cleaned up, fortunately."

"That's good. What about Adam?"

"Adam fell asleep a long time ago. He knows he's hurt Bella, but he can't figure the rest of it out yet. We should have taken him to hunt a long time ago."

"Accidents happen," Edward sighed, "we'll just have to be more careful. I doubt it will happen again. Usually they can tell us after the first time. I'm going to go back inside now; Melody's sitting with Bella right now. Carlisle should be on his way home soon. Does he have any house patients?"

"None. We've had an unusually quiet day here," Jasper answered, "we all hope to see you both soon."

"I'll call tomorrow and let everyone know what's going on up here," Edward promised, "tell Alice it's going to be okay—and Adam, too."

They said their goodbyes. Edward decided to stay outside for just a minute more.

"That's too bad about the human," a voice said from the darkness, "but why waste your time and your money?"

Edward turned. Tanya emerged from the shadows.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he asked.

"Now, don't tell me that you're not happy to see me," Tanya purred, "I've been waiting for this for a long time."

"What are you talking about?" Edward demanded.

There was a sharp sting in his neck and he slumped forward.

"Where's Edward gone to?" Melody wondered out loud.

She glanced out the window, but she could not see him. When Carlisle poked his head in the room, Melody frowned.

"Carlisle, Edward's been gone for a long time. He said he was going to be back in ten minutes and it's been almost a half-hour."

"I have an emergency surgery to handle," Carlisle told her, "call the house first and see if he went home. If he doesn't show up somewhere, then we'll start looking, okay?"

Melody nodded. She picked up the phone beside Bella's bed. She was sure that the Cullens wouldn't mind taking a collect call.


	30. Chapter 30

Edward couldn't fight back. The venom permeated his system so fast that he didn't even have time to react. Someone blind-folded him and he felt himself being thrown over someone's shoulder. The vampire that carried him took off and the wind whistled around them. He smelled various animals, damp earth, and the overwhelming scent of pine. It would seem that they had taken him somewhere into the wilderness.

"Put him down in there," Tanya's voice instructed.

There was a thump as Edward was dropped carelessly into the floor. He could smell rotten wood now, so they must have been in some sort of shed.

"Where the Hell's my money? And my mules? I want paid, dammit!"

The blindfold had been tied very loosely, so it came off of Edward's face. The light was very dim. Two young women, obviously humans, had been stripped naked and tied up.

"There are your mules; your money is between them. Now collect your pay and get out," Tanya said forcefully.

The large, balding vampire seized the girls, still tied together, and lifted them. He was a giant of a man and obviously had a large appetite in more than one way. Edward's stomach clenched when he smelled arousal mixed with adrenaline. He cast the girls a sympathetic look when they pleaded with him to help them. If he had been able to move, he would have.

Tanya was left alone with Edward.

"Guess what? It's too late for your little friend. You should know better than to date below your social class."

Edward glared at her in disgust.

"You're bluffing."

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not."

"Leave Bella alone! She's innocent!"

"She'll be dead soon."

"You're lying!"

The growing dread, fear, and hysteria were beginning to take hold.

"What do you want?" he finally asked.

"You." She licked her lips.

He continued to glare at her.

"You agree to marry me, then I'll call my people on the inside and tell them to back off. If you don't, then I'll have them kill her while she's totally defenseless."

Edward didn't like the idea of stalling, but he needed desperately to figure out what exactly she was up to.

"Why do you want to marry me?" Edward asked.

One would think that's obvious," Tanya said condescendingly, "you're good looking, your dad is practically a king, and you were born into money. Not to mention that you were quite good in bed as well…"

She moved closer to him. If Edward had been human, he'd have vomited right in her face.

"I'll give you a night to think about it," she said sweetly, "we don't have much longer than that, do we? I don't have time to wait for forever."

With that, she got up and closed the door behind her. Edward cursed as he heard a lock click into place. If he had been able to move, he could have smashed the door to smithereens. But now, he was totally helpless. It was worse than death. He prayed to God again that night that he could somehow escape and not have to betray Bella.

…

The pearly white vampire blood rushed into her veins. Carlisle had strategically given Bella vampire blood along with human blood. Melody sat watching the monotonous drip on the IV line. She wished Edward would come back.

Dawn came and Edward still had not returned. Carlisle came in.

"Is he still gone?" he asked uneasily.

"Afraid so," Melody commented, "no one at your house has seen him, either. Daniel—I mean Lucas—is out looking for him right now."

No one knew why Lucas had changed his name and no one had ever asked. Lucas would always change the subject when Melody brought it up. She sometimes forgot and called him by his birth name.

"I hope we hear something. It's odd of Edward to just disappear without a trace," Carlisle sighed, "especially when I know that being with Bella is important to him."

"Is your shift over yet?" Melody asked.

"Almost," he replied, "I'm going to ask Esme to come in for a while. Something about this situation really seems off."

About half an hour later, Esme pulled into the parking lot with Jasper's car. Jasper had told her to please take the keys and stop worrying so much. She went to get Alice because she had promised her younger sister that she wouldn't be left behind this time.

On the way inside, Alice's eyes went glassy and Esme had to wrap one arm around her to steady her.

"There's somebody here that shouldn't be," Alice choked out, "and it looks like…looks like…"

"Looks like who?" Esme pressed.

"_Her._"

Esme looked in the direction that Alice was looking. She recognized the girl as Tanya. Tanya had come into Carlisle's house office for a checkup once and she had always been wary about her. The way she had looked at Edward had unsettled Esme.

"What about her?" Esme whispered.

"I don't know…"

"Stay here," Esme told Alice, sitting her down on a bench. She casually waltzed up to Tanya, who was talking to a doctor.

"Tanya! What brings you here?" Esme asked, trying to sound casual.

Tanya regarded Esme with an expression of boredom.

"My cousin's an orderly here. I was bringing him some lunch," she said, holding up a thermos full of blood, "otherwise he gets testy."

Esme could smell caffeine mixed in with the blood. Carlisle told her that some of the blood mules were harvested after being force-fed coffee so that the caffeine would affect the vampires that drank their blood. She decided not to comment on that thought.

"Have you seen Edward by any chance? I wanted to ask him something," Esme said, still trying to sound casual.

"Edward? Good question. I haven't seen him around recently."

It was a half-truth; Esme could see it in her eyes. She was trying to avoid detection by telling half-truths.

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"I can't remember."

"Where was the last place you saw him?"

"Here."

_Aha…_

"How long ago?"

She would have continued to grill Tanya if the doctor hadn't intervened.

"It was nice seeing you again," the doctor told her, "Paul said he'd be here in a minute."

The one in question appeared a few seconds later.

"Thank God! We had a human that needed stitched up…my throat liked to have lit on fire," he sighed, taking the thermos, "I owe you one."

While he drained the thermos, Tanya turned back to Esme.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again. I hope you figure out where Edward went," she said, sounding far too coy for Esme's comfort.

Defeated for the moment, Esme went to sit back down beside Alice.

"I saw a shed in the woods while you were gone," Alice told her, "but I couldn't figure out which direction it was in."

That was enough. Esme waited until Tanya and her cousin were out of sight before punching the number into the cell phone. She was glad Carlisle had insisted she have one now.

Jasper picked up again.

"Jasper, I need you and Emmett and whoever else is there to do me a huge favor. It's going to sound really strange, but I think it's the only way we're going to get Edward back. I need you all to come up here to the parking lot, find his scent, and follow it into the woods."

Jasper didn't need to be told twice. He put the odd aspects of the request in place.

"All right."

He hung up.

Alice and Esme went upstairs immediately. To their relief, Melody was still sitting there. She looked bored out of her mind and was aimlessly changing the channels on the wall-mounted television.

"Thank goodness," Melody sighed, "I was beginning to think I'd be up here by myself for forever."

"Edward's missing," Esme said, "Alice had a vision."

She made sure the door was closed and they all talked in hushed tones, hoping that Tanya wasn't anywhere around to listen in on the conversation. She told Melody about Alice's latent gift and how it was likely the only way they would find Edward.

"Wow…" was all that Melody could say.

"I think we should stay here and stay together," Esme told Melody, "I don't trust Tanya as far as I could throw her."

"I don't either," Alice shuddered.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Sorry this is so short…I'm having writer's block to the extreme right now.

The path took them in the woods.

"I am really not liking this," Emmett complained, "there's venom in the air…"

"It's a girl's venom, too," Jasper commented.

"We're really going to have to be careful."

They moved through the woods until they came to the run-down looking shed. Ordinarily, it wouldn't have been an issue for Edward. With the venom paralyzing him, however, it was as good as a maximum security prison.

"He's in there," Jasper said, "I can sense him."

Emmett looked around. There were two thugs guarding the place, though they smelled differently from the ones that had allegedly dragged Edward off.

"Now what?" Jasper asked.

"One of us will distract, the other one grabs Edward. We take him back to the hospital and they can get the DNA off of the bite wound," Emmett commented.

"Okay…so who's doing what?"

They debated back and forth. Though Emmett could easily smash through the wood, he stood more of a chance taking on two burly vampires. Jasper was smaller and had the advantage of speed.

"You get Edward. I'll take care of them," Emmett said.

Jasper positioned himself at the edge of the clearing. At incredible speed (even for a vampire), Emmett surged forward and grabbed the smaller of the two guards. The man sank like a stone as the bitter taste of venom filled Emmett's mouth. The other one only had time to turn for a second before Emmett landed on top of him. This one, however, was a more equal adversary.

Jasper didn't dare hesitate. For all they knew, there were more than two guards. His fears were confirmed when he heard the squealing of tires. He slammed his fist into the small glass window and effectively shattered it. The shards of glass, thankfully, had no effect as he hit the wood and splintered a few boards.

Edward breathed a sigh of relief.

Jasper snatched him up and slung him over his shoulders. Outside, the sounds of confused shouting and angry growls and hisses filled the air.

"Come on!" Jasper yelled. Emmett hated to leave a fight behind, but they were clearly outnumbered. No less than a dozen vampires had showed up and they all seemed to be on the kidnapper's side. How they managed to lose them was unexplainable.

"Tanya," Edward said in Jasper's ear, "it was Tanya!"

"Did she say why?"

"I'll tell you later. We have to go see if Bella's all right!"

…..

Paul had already prepared the syringe, but he couldn't make the injection yet. The meddling girls had to be in the way, of course. No matter…he would dispose of them, too. Unfortunately, it was much harder to give a vampire a shot than it was a human.

He hadn't heard from Tanya yet.

…

Carlisle happened to be by the door when Jasper and Emmett burst inside. Esme jumped—she had gone home to get Adam after feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"Anti-venom! Now!"

Carlisle only caught bits and pieces of their explanations as he gave Edward the anti-venom. Without questioning the others, he did exactly as Edward asked and drew some venom from the bite wound. The results were exactly as they said.

Tanya.

A police report had to be filed. Things were getting more chaotic by the second. By the time they had quarantined Bella's room and questioned the staff members, things had gotten messy. When Aro himself showed up, everyone else was a wreck.

"Tanya's not in the hospital," the police officer informed them, "wherever she is, she's long-gone by now. We've sent a patrol car into the woods, but no one's there, either. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do right now."

Aro turned to Edward, who was now unfrozen. The sun was just coming up.

"Edward?"

"It wasn't on purpose," he sighed wearily, "Adam bit Bella and she almost bled to death. We didn't realize it was time for him to go hunt for the first time—his instincts just got the better of him."

Aro's stern expression did not change.

"Do you realize what this could do to our family's reputation? It's all over the news!"

Edward was silent.

"We've had nonstop trouble since those three slaves showed up," Aro said angrily, "and I allowed it because all of you are old enough to keep from making foolish mistakes. This is the last straw—I want those three out of my house and out of this country."

"You can't do that!"

"I can and I will," Aro said furiously, "no more of these silly, foolish romantic notions of yours. Adam will be put into a foster home where he'll learn to treat slaves like they're supposed to be treated. I'll give you a day to say goodbye and that's it. And don't think of trying to trick your way out of it because I'll know! All of you except for Carlisle go back to the house!"

Carlisle was still and silent as stone.

"And you—you're the oldest out of all of them? What the Hell were you thinking?"

He said nothing.

"Carlisle, what did you think would happen? I know that if you ruled the world, humans and vampires would get along perfectly. But it's not your world…Humans are nothing but trouble. That's why they have to be under strict control at all times. They think only of themselves."

Carlisle's expression hardened.

"Maybe you're more like them than you know," he snapped before walking off.


	32. Chapter 32

The house was out in the middle of nowhere. It was old, but it could be fixed up easily. The three women stood there and stared at it as the Volturi guards left them there. Their belongings were already inside; someone had delivered them the day before.

Bella felt like crying. She had hoped to be enveloped in the same wonderful feelings of acceptance and celebration as Esme had been, but she had woken up instead to chaos. Alice had tearfully informed them that they were being forced to leave the country. Now living on the border between the United States and Canada, the girls would have to stay there for the rest of their lives. Carlisle had sworn to all of them that he would do the best he could to get them back. He'd tried everything he could to persuade Aro—he'd even threatened to leave with Esme. In fact, he'd tried, but Aro had placed him under house arrest. His patients could come to the house and visit the office there, but he couldn't go to them until the girls were gone. Aro had made it so that the girls were nearly impossible to track. The other boys had been confined to the house as well.

"Why is it that every time things get good that it's always wrecked?" Alice demanded through her tears.

Esme could say nothing to comfort her younger sister. She held her in silence for a moment. Bella punched a nearby rock in anger and left a fist-sized dent in it. The rock cracked ominously in the silence.

"All we can do is hope for the best," Esme said helplessly, "and hope that we'll be able to return again. In the meantime, we've got to make a living somehow."

"At least that won't be quite as hard as before," Bella mumbled. Professor Hart had taught them well enough that they could get by. It was odd, she thought, that she actually missed him. After the initial frustration had worn off, he had become an almost father-figure to her and Alice. They had been doing well in their lessons and he'd begun to share his abundant supply of books with them. The days would be very long without their lessons.

"Let's get set up," Esme suggested, "standing around here and grieving won't make us any better off."

The three of them went inside. The air smelled dusty and stale. They started by opening all the windows to let the cool morning air in.

"Look!" Esme exclaimed. Someone had left an old piano nearby. She pressed a key and a gentle note echoed through the room. The other two girls began to explore the large living room. The fireplace was big enough that someone could curl up and sit inside it. Bella lifted the plastic sheets to reveal old but well-kept furniture. The theme of the living room seemed to be roses, for they were everywhere.

"Well, what do you guys say to lighting a fire over there?" Esme asked, gesturing to the fireplace. She knew her voice sounded falsely cheerful, but she was desperate not to succumb to the crushing sadness. It lurked in the shadows of her mind and was ready to tear her to shreds if she allowed it.

"Where would we get the wood?" Bella asked flatly.

"I'm sure there's some in the shed," Esme answered. She continued to roll up the plastic sheets.

Bella and Alice walked through the kitchen towards the back door. The backyard was overgrown and in desperate need of an industrial lawn-mower. An old, rickety shed stood at the very back towards the half-rotten fence. Just as they started to advance towards it, a flash of white caught Alice's attention.

"BELLA!" she shouted.

Bella leapt between the thing and her vulnerable sister. She found herself staring into the dark eyes of a wolf. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have been the least bit intimidated, but this wolf was no ordinary wolf. This wolf was practically the size of a horse.

The wolf growled and advanced towards them. Bella snatched Alice up as though she weighed nothing and started towards the house when a tan-colored wolf blocked their path. Esme appeared at the door, eyes widened in shock. The two wolves advanced towards her sisters.

Then, a third wolf appeared. This one was russet-colored and bigger than the other two. It leapt over the fence with a remarkable agility and landed easily. It pointed its nose upward and howled a short note. The two other wolves immediately ceased closing in on the girls.

"What in the…?" Alice asked shakily.

The three wolves seemed to be talking to one another. With a seething look, the white one slunk away and leapt back over the fence. The tan one seemed unsure whether to stay or go, but it left as well. The red one trotted away behind the bush. There was a strange noise. The three girls held their breath, anticipating the wolf's return.

But a wolf didn't appear.

Instead, there was a bronze-skinned boy that looked slightly older than Bella. His jet-black hair was cropped closely to his head. His eyes were as black as the night sky and every inch of him was dark, rippling muscle. He wore a simple pair of black shorts and was barefoot.

"You'll have to excuse my cousins," he said, "they're not used to strangers."

The girls looked at each other incredulously. The boy came closer and Bella and Esme were assaulted with the stench of wet dog. Alice, however, did not smell anything.

"My name's Jacob. We live in the woods up north," he explained, extending his huge hand. It was odd, Bella thought, that his hand felt like an inferno. Maybe it was the coldness of her vampire skin.

"Those were your cousins…and you're all…" Esme couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Werewolves? Not quite. We're more along the lines of 'shape-shifters'," Jacob explained.

"Oh…"

"Uh, listen, I may as well be up front with all of you. There are more of us. A lot more of us, actually…up until now, we haven't had vampires around and we prefer it that way."

"We don't have anywhere else to go," Esme informed him, "we've been exiled."

"Vampires exiled? What for?"

"It's a long story. The point is that we'll go home when we can," Esme said.

Jacob looked thoughtful for a moment. As pack leader, he was now between a rock and a hard place. He had to keep his pack happy and he had to be diplomatic and keep the peace. It didn't escape Bella's notice that his heartbeat quickened a little bit.

"All right," he said slowly, "but we should lay down some ground rules. This is our land and you're not allowed to hunt on it."

"You mean humans, right?"

Jacob stared at Esme as if she was the dumbest thing he'd ever seen.

"What else is there for your kind?"

"We drink animal blood," Bella informed him, "we were all once human. Alice is the only one who hasn't been changed. We're all sisters."

"Vampires who drink animal blood…now I've seen everything," he said incredulously, "is that why your eyes are yellow and not red?"

"I guess…I don't know why there's a color difference," Esme confessed, "the point is that we'd never hurt anyone. We were slaves before we were turned."

"Who turned you?"

"My husband," Esme said.

Jacob was silent for a moment. He was trying to fit all the pieces together.

"Are you three in some kind of trouble?"

Their silence told him everything.

"You can stay," he said finally, "but no biting humans and no causing trouble. We'd appreciate it if you'd stay away from our woods—hunting has been really bad lately and we're low on meat. There's members of our tribes that are very anti-vampire, so don't go there unless you have a death wish. You have a keen enough sense of smell that you should be able to detect our borders without any problems. Any questions?"

"We're not going to wake up in the middle of the night with your cousins breathing down our necks, are we?" Bella was unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"No. You stay out of our way and we'll stay out of yours," Jacob told her.

"Deal."

Jacob cringed. He turned his head towards the fence as if he'd heard something they hadn't.

"Leah, shut up! I can't hear myself think!" he snapped. He turned back to the girls.

"I have to go. By now, the others probably smell you and they're most likely on their way up here."

"Thanks, Jake!"

For what, she wasn't sure. Bella watched him disappear behind the shed and his wolf-form came out again. It didn't escape her notice that he glanced over at her for a second longer before he jumped the fence.

"Just when I thought things couldn't get any weirder," Alice remarked.


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: I've had some complaints that I don't update often enough. The truth is that my Twilight obsession was very short-lived and I ran out of steam on most of my Twilight stories. I understand the aggravation when updates take so long, but I try to write for quality rather than writing just to write. I've got a lot of followers on this one and I'm not sure what would disappoint you more: speed, but crappy writing or lack of frequency but hopefully a story that makes up for the inconvenience.

"This is ridiculous," Carlisle sighed to himself as he added another piece of paperwork to a file.

"Tell me about it."

Edward was standing in the doorway with the two bottles of blood that would pass for dinner. Jasper hadn't made his appearance yet. Still sulking, Edward knew.

Out of all of them, Jasper seemed to be taking this the hardest. Alice was still a kid. She was small and thin and he'd had nightmares about what might happen to her. He'd become increasingly moody and irritable. Edward and Carlisle were the only ones who understood. Emmett was sympathetic and even Rosalie was polite and had stopped trying to domineer everyone. Jane and Alec didn't dare show their faces when they were over—for once, they stayed quietly in their rooms. Aro pretended as though nothing had happened.

He was a good actor, for mealtimes were very strained when he was home. Carlisle attempted to be civil, but he couldn't keep the iciness out of his normally warm voice. Edward spoke in low growls and Jasper flat out refused to speak to Aro at all. He'd thrown himself into his studies and graduated early, but without Alice, it was a hollow victory.

"Don't you want to do something?" Carlisle had asked him.

"I'll celebrate when the girls are home," Jasper said quietly. They hadn't argued with him.

While Aro pretended that nothing had happened, he had purchased a few more human slaves. It didn't escape Carlisle's notice that most of them were males. The few females in the bunch were half-dead and behaved as though the boys would take a chunk out of them any second. The jumpiness was upsetting to all of them and they tried to be careful not to make any sudden moves. To these poor women, Carlisle had commented once, it must have been like living in a houseful of cobras.

The slaves weren't the only new things to show up at the house. The obviously distraught Adam needed a nanny, Aro had declared, and would need a governess soon. All sorts of attractive, young, eligible vampire women had started to appear and applied for the job. Thankfully, Aro didn't have the time to interview them. Adam didn't appear to like most of the girls and Carlisle could definitely understand: the perfume fumes that hung around most of them like an invisible cloud was nauseating. Many of them had no interest in Adam and had dropped every suggestive hint to him, Jasper, and Edward that they could. Carlisle didn't voice it, but he would rather raise Adam himself than have one of these cheap flirts around him. They probably wouldn't even take him hunting when he showed signs of aggressiveness towards the slaves. He prayed every single night that somehow things would work out.

…

The loud noise was enough to wake the dead as it rumbled through the wooded area. Esme tilted her head and listened while the bottle of blood was in the microwave. Alice was eating toast at the table.

Bella sniffed the air when the breeze blew in. Her nose wrinkled.

"It's that wolf again," she announced with some disdain.

The noisy motorcycle skidded to a halt in the driveway. Jacob make an odd sight straddling the monster machine with nothing but a pair of raggedy shorts on. Then again, he was more likely to hurt whatever he ran into rather than the other way around.

She heard the wet beating of his heart quicken as she appeared at the door. To him, she made a very pretty picture: she wore a white and yellow sundress and her brown hair cascaded around her shoulders like a sensuous waterfall. However, her hazel eyes were slightly narrowed and it was clear that she wasn't as pleased to see him.

"What are you doing here?"

Her voice came out colder than she intended it to. Jacob looked slightly taken aback and ran a hand through his sloppy wind-blown hair.

"Your supplies got delivered to us by mistake," he said, gesturing to the large cardboard box strapped to the back of the car, "we don't have much use for blood, so here I am."

His slight sarcasm didn't detract from the awkwardness. Without messing around, he unstrapped the box and carried it up to the porch. Under most circumstances, Bella would have informed him that she was just as strong as he was, but she had forgotten about that. She could smell something underneath the strong wet-dog smell that he usually left in his wake. The smell was dark, musky. She didn't know what it was.

Jacob took the box into the kitchen and left it on one of the chairs. With a nod in Esme and Alice's direction, he said nothing and showed himself to the door. Bella watched him go and it didn't escape her notice that his dark eyes lingered on her a second longer than was necessary. The dark, musky smell increased by about ten-fold. It was so strong that she could almost taste it. Thankfully, he didn't linger long and the smell rapidly dissipated as his noisy motorcycle rumbled down the road.

Bella returned to the kitchen where Esme was putting things into the refrigerator.

"What was that about?" Alice asked. She noticed that Bella and Esme's faces were scrunched up as though they'd smelled something rotten.

"He stinks more than usual," Bella remarked, "I wonder why."

The look Esme had made her ask "what?"

"Uh…well…I don't think the trip was purely coincidental," Esme informed her, "I've only smelled that before when…"

She trailed off awkwardly.

"When what?" Bella asked.

Esme sighed. Bella and Alice were nearing adulthood. She mentally chided herself for being so hesitant.

"He smells like the neighbor's dog when the dog goes into heat," she explained, "but it's a little different. More masculine…I think it's called 'rut' for males."

Bella made a face.

"But he hates vampires and his wolf-buddies hate them more."

Esme shrugged. Alice snorted with laughter.

"That's hilarious," she choked out, "Jacob has PMS!"

Esme sighed.

"I want you both to be really, really careful," she said, "I don't have a good feeling about this at all. We don't know how long it lasts or what really happens. I'm not saying that Jake would do anything, but stay close to home for a few days."

They both nodded in agreement. Inside the house or out, there really wasn't much to do. All three of them were bored as it was. They would much rather be bored than scared.

…

The wolves were used to the periodic mating cycles and fluctuating hormones. For them, it was just another part of life. However, there were certain complications. Many of them had already chosen mates by the time the first "heat" arrived. If one already had a wife (or in Leah's case, a husband), no big deal.

If you didn't….

Almost all of the wolves were male. There was only one female and that was Leah due to a genetic mutation. The rest of them were males and they had all done what was called "imprinting". The imprinting was an involuntary, irreversible bond made with another person regardless of age. Imprinting was instinctual and meant that the wolf was, to whoever they bonded to, whatever they needed at the time. When the wolves imprinted on children, they were baby-sitters, care-takers, and guardians. Nothing wrong or threatening ever took place. A majority of the time, the girls naturally fell in love with their wolves when they were older and married them.

Jacob had not found his significant other and neither had he yet married.

He was quiet about his condition, and as much as he could, he kept it to himself. The others, of course, knew, and most of them didn't give him crap about it. Jacob wasn't the type to sleep around just because of the male equivalent of PMS.

The one disconcerting thing was that he kept seeing Bella standing in the doorway all over again. Mental images frequently assaulted his mind (and thus assaulted the others' minds when they were in wolf form). Very much against his will, he imagined the relief that her icy hands against his burning face could bring. To try and keep these thoughts to himself, he stayed in his human form as much as he could until he had to run patrol.

_A vampire? That's disgusting,_ Leah groaned.

_Keep out of my head,_ Jacob snapped.

_I'm trying, but the problem is that you keep sending thoughts about her out,_ Leah informed him, _do you think I want to know who you're—_

She sniffed the air.

_Vampires._

Jacob caught the scent and an image formed in his mind. At first, he thought it was one of the girls.

No.

This was a male.

Two.

No, three.

He could smell that they'd drank recently…human blood.

_Let's go get the rest of the pack,_ Jacob told her. They raced back home as quickly as they could.


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: Sorry about the long wait. Lots of things happen in two years…I won't bore you with the details. I just hope you all aren't too horribly disappointed in me.

Laurent sniffed the air.

"Couldn't we have gone somewhere else? This forest smells like…wet dog!"

James sighed.

"We're nearly out. Just keep moving. This is going to be the largest population of free humans on the map—all because there are 'vegan vampires'. They won't miss a few…not to mention we'll make quite a profit when we sell the rest. There are bound to be a few young ones."

Though it was her idea, Victoria hadn't said very much on the way down here. Even for a vampire, she looked quite menacing at the moment. Her bright red hair stood out against all the green of the forest and her blue eyes shone with an unnatural gleam. It had been a while since she'd hunted.

All vampires needed to hunt at one point or another despite the nice, clean, kill-free bottles of blood. What the vampires didn't think of when they came up with this plan was that the more primitive instincts always surfaced. Most authorities overlooked the occasional death of a slave, but where was the fun in catching something you didn't even have to chase? It was boring to her. She'd rather feel the wind on her skin as she ran, feel the victory of a challenge in her mind. This was precisely the type of thing she needed: it was James's present to her for their anniversary. They had the entire town to themselves.

"Freedom Flats," James read the sign out loud, "how corny can you get?"

Victoria's eyes locked on the first human she saw: a small old man with silvering hair. He wasn't very big, but he'd make a good appetizer. She heard the wet beating of his heart and saw the slight flutter of his pulse point in his purple ropy veins.

"We should discuss how we're going to take over first," James said, seeing the gleam in her eye.

"I'm not sure she feels like talking," Laurent remarked.

The old man had unfastened the latch on the mail box and was leafing through his mail. As he tore open a letter he'd been waiting for in earnest, the paper slit his finger. All it took was that one tiny droplet to seal the man's fate.

Their eyes darkened.

To Laurent's surprise, it was James that streaked forward first. For all his scheming, he was no more immune to instinct than Victoria. The two took off in a race with Laurent only slightly behind them. It was James that reached the old man first. His dark eyes bulged when he saw the gleaming razor-teeth coming down on him. His scream cut off in a gurgle as the artery in his throat was severed.

"Damn," Victoria laughed, watching James finish him off, "I was that close. At least there are others."

Laurent wasn't sure why, but listening to her speak so casually of the old man made him sick. He wondered why.

_He was just a human. All humans die at one time or another, don't they? We're probably more merciful than the heart-attack this guy probably would have had._

Unfortunately, they had attracted some attention. The humans stopped and stared. Then, they started to panic and scatter every which way. Victoria honed in on a chestnut-haired woman.

"No! Please! I'm pregnant!" the woman puffed as she tried to get away. Victoria merely chuckled.

"Two for the price of one!"

Her teeth closed on the woman's neck.

They're on their way to the town! Jacob told his pack. They chased after the scent. Blood boiling, they were itching for a fight now. Their instincts had been stirred by the syrupy-sweet stink of vampires who didn't belong here. Jacob's thoughts flitted to the three girls briefly, but he pushed them away. There was no time to be thinking about that right now.

Suddenly, he skidded to a stop.

Alice! he thought.

What about her? Leah asked irritably.

She's still human! We have to warn them!

NOT NOW, JACOB! There's a whole town full of humans that are being slaughtered right now! She has two vampires to protect her! Sam shouted. Sure enough, the stench of blood was on the air now as well. Jacob reluctantly started running again. Sam was right—Alice was far enough away that the pests could be stopped before they reached her. By the time they did, they would likely be so full that they wouldn't have an appetite for her anyway. The wolves burst through the treeline and surged into the streets. The humans knew who they were and did not fear them—they were actually grateful. Jacob went for Laurent, Sam went for James, and Leah went for Victoria. Just as she reached her, however, a blinding blow knocked her sprawling to the sidewalk.

"Nice try, honey," Victoria laughed.

Leah growled and head-butted her. She landed neatly on her feet, though. No longer in a jovial mood, she was growling as well. Nearby, Jacob and Laurent went tumbling through the dust. Sam, Quil, and Embry were pursuing James as he fled. The humans, knowing full-well that there was danger around, had locked themselves inside various houses and buildings. It was unlikely to help them if the vampires decided to come in though—wood was as easy to tear through as paper to them.

_You're not taking me down that easily,_ James thought. He put on an extra spurt of speed, given strength by the old man's stolen life, and headed for the water. If they couldn't smell him, they couldn't track him.

A little help here would be nice! Leah thought, slamming Victoria into a light-pole hard enough to bend it. She didn't want anyone actually killing Victoria—that was HER job. She just needed a distraction—a split second advantage. Seth provided that advantage by slamming her into the side of a building. Splinters of wood flew everywhere and the humans inside screamed and fled further inside.

What are you doing here? I told you to stay home! Leah scolded him.

And let you guys have all the fun? NEVER! Seth laughed, Admit it, you owe me!

Victoria growled. She slammed into Seth, sending him careening out into the road. Leah heard some of his bones snap with a sickening crunch. She growled angrily and sank her teeth into Victoria's arm. The awful sound of scraping metal filled the air for a moment. Victoria managed to move just enough to where her arm wasn't completely severed. It did, however, have several deep gash-marks in it.

Leah wasn't sure what disgusted her more: the way Victoria was laughing despite the obvious pain or the fact that she didn't bleed at all. She may as well have been tearing apart a stone statue. Victoria leapt into the air, graceful and deadly, and landed behind Leah. Being a split-second faster than the wolf, she managed to hit her so hard that she knocked her out. Then, she fled.

Laurent was surrounded on all sides by growling wolves the size of horses. He raised his hands above his head in surrender.

"Please! I give up! I'm not like those other two! I don't kill for pleasure! I swear I will leave and never return! Just…don't kill me!"

Jacob had phased back into his human form, but the other wolves stayed wolves.

"Why should we trust you? Everyone knows that vampires aren't capable of keeping their word. You'll just keep killing. Or you'll tell others and they'll come to enslave these people! You care only about yourself!"

"I have not harmed a single human here," Laurent told them, "and I swear on my own life I never will. If I do, you have my permission to take my life. I won't say a word about this place. I'll even help you track the other two if you spare my life."

Jacob stared. This was another aspect of vampires he didn't like: they were willing to sell each other out easily. However, beggars could not be choosers at this time. They needed to find the other two vampires before anything else happened.

"Fine. But one false move and you're glittery confetti, understand?"

Laurent nodded.

"We came through the western woods," he told them, "they may have gone back that way. I suspect they both went underwater to help disguise their smells to you."

"Let's go!"

Jacob phased back. The wolves stayed in a circular formation around Laurent. He was still thirsty, still slightly weaker because he had not hunted yet. They weren't about to let their guard down, though.

"What's that?" Bella asked, hearing something crashing through the under brush.

"I smell…a vampire," Esme said, "an injured one."

Sure enough, Victoria exploded out of the woods a fraction of a second later. She was clutching her shredded arm against her side and breathing rather hard for a vampire.

"Help me!" her thin, shrill voice called, "I need to hide!"

"What happened to you?" Bella asked.

"Fight…misunderstanding…the wolves!" Victoria began to cry a tearless sob. Much to their disturbance, streams of venom flowed down her cheeks instead of water. It streaked her face with a greenish-yellow tint.

"Oh…"

Esme leapt off the porch and led Victoria up to the house. She had her arm around Victoria's shoulders as if she were a child who had scraped her knee. Bella had not yet moved, however. She smelled blood on Victoria's breath and wondered if she'd been near the town—that was the only way that the wolves would have attacked.

"We were just passing through," Victoria whimpered, "and we thought we'd have a little picnic in the woods. We brought our own blood. The wolves smelled the blood and assumed we'd killed some of their humans. Then they started attacking us!"

"You poor thing," Esme commented, "why don't you sit down here on the couch? I'm not much of a doctor, but I did learn a couple of things from Carlisle. We'll get that healed up in no time."

She turned to Bella.

"Bella, why don't you go and heat up some blood for her? She'll need the extra nutrients to regenerate."

Bella stared at her as if she'd lost her mind, but she did as she was told.

"I hope you don't mind animal blood," Esme told her, "we're vegans."

Victoria forced a smile.

"I've always wondered what that must be like…never having to take a life at all…"

"Well, it takes some getting used to, but you acquire a taste for it eventually," Esme told her, "I asked to have it from my birth. Never tasting human blood is much easier."

Alice appeared at the top of the stairs just as Bella brought the heated blood into the living room. She made a "stay up there" gesture to Alice and Alice's eyes widened. She promptly went back into her room and closed the door.

Victoria sniffed the air delicately with her small nose.

"I smell a human here…is she your slave?"

"Uhm…no, actually…she's our sister," Esme told her, "she'll be turned as soon as we get a little misunderstanding sorted out."

"I see," Victoria said, accepting the bottle. She cautiously took a sip and had to fight from spitting it right back out. It was absolutely disgusting! However, beggars couldn't be choosers. She forced down a mouthful and smiled her most convincing smile. Winning people over was a gift of hers. Sometimes one had to make sacrifices to do so.

"I'll be right back," Esme said, "I'll get our medical kit."


End file.
